DA challenges Sisulu to produce evidence that the R2bn VIP jet deal was above board

The former Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Lindiwe Sisulu, should produce documentary evidence that the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan, approved the deviation from normal competitive bidding processes required by National Treasury regulations and the Public Finance Management Act (No. 1 of 1999) for the procurement process of President Jacob Zuma's R2bn Boeing 777-200 Long Range business jet.

I am not convinced that the real reason the former minister advised Dr Sam Gulube, the Secretary of Defence, to suspend the deal to buy a new R2 billion business jet for President Jacob Zuma was to give the incoming minister a chance to "decide how best to deal with this complex issue".

This sounds too much like a useful pretext to extricate herself from a dubious deal to purchase a new jet for President Zuma. 

I am also not convinced that the deal complied with normal competitive bidding processes required by National Treasury regulations and the Public Finance Management Act.

The former minister reportedly applied to Minister Gordhan for formal approval to deviate from the normal competitive bidding process required by National Treasury regulations and the Public Finance Management Act.

I therefore challenge Minister Sisulu to furnish me with documentary evidence that the Finance Minister approved a deviation from the normal competitive bidding process required by National Treasury regulations and the Public Finance Management Act.

If the former defence minister provides me with documentary evidence that she received approval to deviate from the normal competitive biding process from Minister Gordhan,  as well as the Secretary of Defence, Dr Sam Gulube, I will withdraw my request for the Public Protector to investigate the acquisition of the new Boeing 777-200 LR business jet for President Zuma.

The fact is that we should not be spending R2 billion on a new Boeing 777-200 LR business jet for the President when so many people in our country are poor.

Statement issued by David Maynier MP, DA Spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans, July 3 2012

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