Those without integrity must be held accountable

14 November 2016

Press release: Those without integrity must be held accountable

One month after the Public Protector’s State Capture report was released, the fallout continues. This last week has seen interesting revelations, rumours and counters, with a good dose of threats.

SAFCEI welcomes Brian Molefe’s resignation as one step on the road to accountable government.  Mr Molefe ruled Eskom at a time that saw the parastatal accept the role of nuclear procurer, and his statements against renewable energy were seen to have undermined the government’s renewable energy programme.

However, the Public Protector clearly articulated that various Eskom board members, including the Chairperson, have a conflict of interest, and are still there.  According to section 5.73, “The board of Eskom appointed in December 2014 consisted predominately of individuals with direct and indirect business or personal relations with Mr D. Zuma, the Gupta family and their related associates, including Mr Essa.”

“We cannot have Mr Molefe be the sacrificial goat, after which Eskom continues with business as usual,” states SAFCEI Executive Director, Venerable Ani Tsondru. “All of the board and any other officials must come under scrutiny and should be held accountable for their actions.  And we want to see Mr Molefe answer to the findings made against him, and not disappear and then reappear into another position of influence.”

Media reports over the weekend indicate that Members of Parliament are under pressure to support the President at all costs.  Reflecting on these reports, SAFCEI’s Liz McDaid states that “MPs should speak out against unethical behaviour and not be intimidated by senior politicians who seem to have forgotten that they are accountable to the people of South Africa.”

SAFCEI and Earthlife Africa JHB will be in the Cape Town High Court on 13th and 14th December 2016, challenging the government’s nuclear deal with Russia, as well as the decision of government to procure a fleet of nuclear reactors (which was made in 2013 and kept secret for two years).

“South Africa does not need politicians who seek self-enrichment at the expense of the needs of the people,” states Earthlife Africa JHB’s Dominique Doyle.

Having an open and transparent procurement process is vital to protect the people of South Africa now and in the future from undue influence, and to guard against the nuclear deal being pushed through for the wrong reasons, with the potential to bankrupt the country.

Earthlife Africa JHB and SAFCEI contend that this court case is about the requirements for lawful, procedurally fair, rational, statutory and constitutional decision making, in relation to the particular decision by the South Africa government to procure nuclear power under a specific legislative scheme. Issues at stake are: the distinction between policy and statutory determinations; the constitutionality and lawfulness of the 2013 s34 Determination; the unconstitutional signature and tabling of the Russian IGA; and the unconstitutional tabling of the US and South Korean IGAs.

ENDS

For further information, please contact

Ms Liziwe McDaid (SAFCEI)                                 Ms Dominique Doyle (ELA-Jhb)

Email: liziwe@mweb.co.za                                 Email: dominique@earthlife.org.za

Cell: 082 731 5643                                             Cell: 079 331 2028