By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended the embattled small business development deputy minister Dipuo Peters.
Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa had informed Peters of his decision to suspend her.
“The decision follows a sanction adopted by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests against the deputy minister,” the Presidency said in a statement.
“The committee found that Peters had breached the Code of Ethical Conduct in her former portfolio as minister of transport. Consequently, Peters was sanctioned and suspended for one term.”
Peters’ suspension, which will be without pay, became effective on 28 February and will end on 28 March.
In November 2023, Peters was suspended from her seat in all parliamentary debates, sittings, committee meetings, functions and operations for one term of the parliamentary programme.
The complaint, launched by #UniteBehind leader Zackie Achmat, included allegations that Peters “was neglectful in her previous portfolio as minister of transport by failing to appoint a group CEO of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.”