Government rejects the mischievous article by the Sunday Independent newspaper, which alleges that President Ramaphosa asked Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to leave a meeting for being unprepared and failing to read Cabinet memos. These allegations are unfounded and deliberately misleads members of the public.

Speaking on the article, Minister in The Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, said: “Cabinet discussions are confidential. This has been a long-standing convention and thus these allegations are unfounded.

Cabinet decisions are in a transparent manner shared with the public by the Minister in the Presidency. The allegations made by the Sunday Independent are therefore unjustified and malicious”

Members of the Cabinet are accountable collectively and individually to Parliament for the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions. Any unauthorised or premature disclosure of Cabinet meetings or information undermines the collective responsibility of Cabinet.

Issued by Phumla Williams on behalf of Government Communications and Information Services, 23 May 2022