By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Deputy president Paul Mashatile has confirmed that Parliament’s Ethics Committee is investigating him over allegations of corruption levelled against him.
Mashatile was responding to questions from MPs in the National Assembly on Thursday.
This was after reports emerged that Mashatile was involved in multi-million rand corruption scandals, including houses in Cape Town and Johannesburg worth millions of rands.
Mashatile told Parliament on Thursday that the Ethics Committee has givem him seven days to respond to the allegations of corruption.
He said he will provide his response to the committee next week.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) lodged a complaint to the Ethics Committee a few weeks ago on the allegations.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube asked Mashatile to come clean on Thursday, during a question and answer session in Parliament.
“I was going to say acting Speaker, so that honourable Gwarube does not think we are running away, I have received questions from the Ethics Committee after she complained to Parliament and I will be responding to those questions. Perhaps, Gwarube can wait for that moment. They have given me seven days to clarify those issues. Those responses will definitely come to Parliament next week and Gwarube will be free to see those responses,” said Mashatile.
The response by Mashatile came after members of the African National Congress (ANC) tried to block the question.
ANC whip Bheki Radebe said Gwarube was circumventing the rules by asking the question directly, as it was not directly linked to the main question.
Gwarube said she was not trying to besmirch Mashatile. All she wanted was for him to come clean on the allegations.
She said Mashatile must take the country into his confidence about the allegations.
She added that Mashatile must shed light on the allegations, as they have been hanging over his head for a long time.
Mashatile said Gwarube will get an opportunity next week when the matter is brought before the Ethics Committee.
Mapisa-Nqakula bribery claims
Mashatile has also asked that Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula be given a chance to clear her name in the courts rather than being forced to quit.
He said Mapisa-Nqakula has already indicated that she has co-operated with law enforcement agencies who are investigating her on charges of corruption.
Mashatile refused to say whether they will support a motion of no confidence against Mapisa-Nqakula.
However, he said there were already legal processes in place and Parliament should wait for those processes to be finalised.
Mapisa-Nqakula has challenged her arrest by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID) in court.
The High Court in Pretoria will deliver judgment on the application next Tuesday.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has tabled a motion of no confidence against ,Mapisa-Nqakula and urged all political parties to support it.
But Mashatile, who was replying to questions in Parliament on Thursday, refused to be drawn to the motion of no confidence issue.
“I am aware that the DA has proposed a motion. From where I sit, the speaker of parliament is co-operating with the law enforcement agencies. You may also be aware that she has on a number of occasions said that, if she was to be charged with these alleged offences she is prepared to step down,” said Mashatile.
“My approach is that let’s give those processes an opportunity so that we can know exactly what has happened because at the moment there are still investigations and she is not charged. All that remains are allegations. Therefore, I think it will be premature to then ask the speaker to relieve herself of her duties when, in fact, the allegations have not been tested.”
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