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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the Eastern Cape High Court ruling that it provide the Centre for Social Accountability two schedules of the names of MPs who were involved in the travelgate scandal. The DA will be writing to the speaker to furnish the official opposition with these lists and to question why it has taken such a long time to take the necessary steps to recover the money from MPs.
From the outset, the DA argued that the initial decision to withdraw the mandate from the liquidators to recover the money from fraudulent MPs, and instead buy up the debtors’ book of one of the travel agents involved was unacceptable. When the Parliamentary Oversight Authority took this decision, to which the DA objected, I received a clear undertaking from the Speaker that the 60 errant MPs would be pursued and outstanding money recovered.
However, it is apparent that such proceedings against these individuals never transpired. I was forced to write to the then Public Protector in March 2009, requesting an investigation into the debt buy-up. No investigation was ever launched.
In April 2009, the DA walked out of the Small Multiparty Committee which was set up to finalise the travelgate enquiry and report back to Parliament’s presiding officers, as it was nothing more than an attempt to whitewash the matter and not take the necessary steps to pursue, where possible, outstanding moneys.
The integrity of Parliament was severely compromised by its failure to fully resolve the travelgate saga through a speedy judicial process and to institute criminal proceedings against directly implicated MPs and to compel them to repay the money they owe. This judgement is therefore highly significant, and will go a long way in finally bringing this scandal to a close.
The DA further welcomes the decision by Parliament to not appeal the decision and to hand over the requested documents. This good faith must not stop here, and immediate action must be taken by Parliament to collect all outstanding moneys which are owed to it by travelgate MPs.
I will be writing to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu, requesting that the lists of names be handed over to the official opposition and all other political parties so that we can continue to ensure that action is taken against guilty individuals. I will also inquire as to why it has taken so long for such action to be taken, in light of the previous undertaking made by Parliament.