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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is currently looking into a 3000 page docket on potentially corrupt activities by ANC MP Yolanda Botha.

This was confirmed in a reply  to a DA parliamentary question received today from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The DA welcomes the indication that a comprehensive investigation into Ms Botha’s affairs has been conducted by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and hope that the NPA will be given the space to make its decisions in this case without political influence.

The DA laid corruption charges against Ms Botha on 18 November 2011, after the Parliamentary Ethics Committee backtracked on a decision to impose the strongest possible sanctions against her. The ANC-dominated Ethics Committee watered down an original decision on the matter, despite damning findings indicating that Ms Botha failed to declare her business interests and wilfully misled parliament concerning kickbacks that she received from a business venture. The Committee allowed her to get away with a small fine and a reprimand.

The allegations against Ms Botha go beyond her failure to declare her business interests in parliament. There are also serious concerns around Ms Botha’s conduct whilst serving as the head of the Northern Cape department of Social Development, and her reported  links to property group Trifecta Investment Holdings to whom she awarded contracts worth more than R50 million for office space leases.

Public representatives should not be allowed to abuse their positions for their own gain.

We will continue to monitor the progress in this case.