The Public Protector is investigating complaints against the Deputy President regarding her trip to the United Arab Emirates in December last year and against the Minister for money allegedly loaned to his wife by a private company.
Advocate Mushwana said he did not want to commit to a specific date for the release of either report but assured journalists in Pretoria that both reports would be published soon after proper procedure had been followed.
This procedure, as outlined in the Executive Members Ethics Act, entailed his office submitting the reports to President Thabo Mbeki, who would have 14 days to table them in Parliament.
Once the reports had been tabled, they would then be public documents which Advocate Mushwana’s office would be free to comment on.
“Our investigation of the allegations of unethical conduct by the Deputy President relating to an unofficial trip she undertook to the United Arab Emirates in December 2005 is almost complete,” Advocate Mushwana said on the issue of the Deputy President’s trip on a South African air force jet.
“We have consulted widely in regard to the matter and have obtained sufficient information and documentation to enable us to commence with the drafting of our report to the President soon.”
Earlier in the year, the Presidency said the Deputy President’s use of the jet was correct in terms of security arrangements for someone of Mlambo-Ngcuka’s prominent position in government.
The investigations into the Minister’s case were still under way, he said.
“The investigation of the allegations of a conflict of interest made against Minister Skweyiya in regard to a loan that his wife received from Mr Majali of Imvume Investments in December 2003 is at an advanced stage.
”We are however, still in the process of obtaining certain documents and information to verify some of the information we have accumulated so far.”
Adv Mushwana said his office hoped it would receive the outstanding documents soon, as these would enable them to determine whether they had gathered enough information to report on the matter.
“Whatever finding we arrive at and whatever recommendation we arrive at, we’re guided by the evidence placed before us and the Constitution and the law we’re subjected to and nothing else,” Adv Mushwana said speaking in general about all the investigations carried out by his office.
He had been briefing journalists in Pretoria on five high profile complaints from the estimated 17 000 investigations conducted by his office last year. – BuaNews
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