ANC only pays lip service to transparency, accountability

Issued by Sanele Magaqa (MPL) – Shadow MEC for Human Settlements
11 Jun 2021 in Press Statements

The ANC has once again proven that, when it comes to transparency and accountability, they might talk a good game but when it comes to taking action, they will close ranks and avoid accountability at all costs!

Yesterday, I tabled a motion without notice, calling on the Premier to release a report relating to the plundering of hundreds of millions of rands worth of funds paid over to the Eastern Cape Human Settlements Department, meant to build much-needed houses for our people.

Find the motion here.

Instead of supporting the motion, the ANC members immediately shot it down, with some saying it must be rejected with the contempt that it deserves.

The Democratic Alliance will not rest until the report is made public, and those guilty of stealing hundreds of millions from the people of this province face justice!

Of the R341 million in question, given to the Department between 2011 and 2013, R115 million cannot be accounted for, and a further R165 million was irregularly transferred to the North West and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

A further R61 million was paid to the company Camel Rock for the construction of the Connemara Village social housing project near Cove Rock which, to date, remains an empty tract of land.

Further, a National Treasury investigation into the matter allegedly implicates former Eastern Cape Human Settlements Head of Department, Gaster Sharpley, who headed the Department from 2011 to 2018.

Sharpley has since been suspended by the Kwazulu-Natal Premier, where he had been working as the Accounting Officer for the KZN Public Works Department, after further corruption allegations against him surfaced.

It has also been alleged that a report with the findings from the Treasury investigation has been buried by successive Eastern Cape Premiers. Something premier Oscar Mabuyane’s spokesperson took great exception to when confronted by the media on this issue.

Yesterday’s motion put these allegations to the House and called for Premier Mabuyane to make the report available and to provide feedback on what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations from the report and hold those responsible to account.

Rather than fight for the rights of families who have had their hopes of a better life stolen from them by corrupt officials, the ANC closed ranks to protect their own corrupt cadres!

I will now be lodging a Promotion of Access to Information Application (PAIA) to request that the report be made available.

The DA will continue to fight for the people of this province, to ensure that public funds are spent on improving their quality of life, not pocketed by unscrupulous corrupt individuals.