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The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, honourable Des van Rooyen noted with concern a malicious and misleading article that appeared last week on Thursday, 20 October 2016 in Business Day and Sowetan. The story alleges that Minister van Rooyen used the Parliamentary Budget Office staff to do his academic assignments while he was a whip in the Standing Committee on Finance.

The Minister would like to categorically state that the allegations in the article are baseless, not true and are only meant to discredit him. To this effect, the Minister is receiving legal advice on how to take this matter forward.

“I must hasten to say that studying requires dedication and commitment in order to be successful. It is this commitment that ensures that I complete my own assignments and even wrote exams. I don't believe that I would have passed if I was not studying and relied on assistance from the budget office” said Minister van Rooyen.

Minister indicated that he does not want to downplay the role and importance of the Parliamentary budget office in assisting the members of parliament with their research for work purposes. “They are indeed doing a marvellous job and they should not be insulted and their strategic role belittled. This article is more than unfair to this dedicated team, than to myself” added Minister van Rooyen.

The Minister thanked all the academics and colleagues who motivated him to realise and complete his studies.

Minister van Rooyen encouraged his colleagues not to be deterred, but continue with these important academic programmes that will go a long way in preparing them for the future developmental challenges of our country.

Issued by Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs