#Jetgate: DA requests Speaker Modise to call for an urgent extraordinary meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Defense and Military Veterans
17 September 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, calls for an urgent, extraordinary meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Defense and Military Veterans, with representatives from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), Department of Defence accounting officers and its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and representatives of National Treasury, to determine the amount the ANC has to pay back for their brazen abuse of an air force jet.
The Committee should ideally also invite members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committees on Public Accounts and Transport, who should work in close consultation with a panel of independent aviation experts to calculate the full cost of the ANC’s trip to Zimbabwe, including the wear and tear on the aircraft, and other associated costs.
A report on the costs should then be handed over to the Office of the Auditor-General in order to compare that to expenses submitted by the Department of Defence and Military Veterans and, should be presented to Parliament as a special parliamentary report.
The repayment of the money must be an open and transparent process as we simply cannot trust the ANC or the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to ensure that this process is above board. Parliament must have full oversight of this payment.
Furthermore, the ANC repaying this money does not in any way absolve the party of the criminality of their actions. The reality is that Minister Mapisa-Nqakula, Ace Magashule and the rest of the ANC delegation shamelessly abused State resources and possibly put South African national security at risk. They must be held to account.
The DA on Wednesday laid criminal charges against the ANC delegation for their abuse of a State aircraft as well as for flouting Covid-19 lockdown regulations. A copy of the affidavit can be found here.
Unlike President Ramaphosa, the DA will not sit by silently as the ANC continues to abuse their power and loot our State resources.
Issued by Kobus Marais, DA Shadow Minister of Defence, 17 September 2020
