Motshekga backs Zille, Shilowa says she misses the point

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has publicly supported Western Cape premier Helen Zille following public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s findings against her.

In her ruling on Thursday, Mkhwebane found that Zille violated the Executive Members Act by assisting her son to loan tablets from the province’s education department so he could offer extra maths lessons to disadvantaged matric pupils.

“The investigation revealed that the premier’s relationship with her son constituted private interest, which appears to have influenced the exercise of her official duties,” said Mkhwebane.

“The premier engaged the MEC and escalated performance by the supplier of the said tablets in order to facilitate access of the tablets by her son. Even though he was a teacher of the Western Cape department of education, access of tablets was not secured as tools through normal departmental channels but through intervention of the premier – which created an appearance of impropriety.

“Though it had been done to benefit schools in the Western Cape, the process made it look like she was promoting her son’s business.”

But Motshekga reportedly said the findings were disappointing.

“How can you say it’s a conflict of interest when it’s in the public interest?

“My fear is that … children of politicians will now be barred from doing community work. I feel that this is about picking on Zille’s child because he is the son of a politician … This cannot be fair,” Motshekga told Business Day on Thursday.

The premier took to social media to praise the minister for comments, declaring her an “honourable and honest human being”.

She said the minister prioritised being a “dedicated” educationist before being a politician.

“Respect,” she said.

Zille further said if she found herself in the same situation again, she would do exactly the same.

“As Mark Twain said: it can never be wrong to do right. Especially if it is for the right reason.”

Good point. Thank you. My last contribution: If the same situation arose tomorrow I would do exactly the same again. As Mark Twain said: it can never be wrong to do right. Especially if it is for the right reason. https://t.co/U2Une0Vspg

— Helen Zille (@helenzille) December 20, 2018

However, former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa said Motshekga missed the point.

“We are not talking about the son volunteering. We are talking about the premier intervening to get the tablets out of the storage. Think they would have been brought out at the request of Magigwani from Phalawubeni? Never!” he said.

My friend and comrade Angie misses the point as well. We are not talking about the son volunteering. We are talking about the Premier intervening to get the tablets out of the storage. Think they would have been brought out at the request of Magigwani from Phalawubeni? Never!

— Mbhazima Shilowa (@Enghumbhini) December 20, 2018

Mkhwebane’s findings have divided South Africans on social media, with some saying Zille should not have intervened in the procurement process, while others said she did it for the benefit of the disadvantaged students in the Western Cape.

Also read: Helen Zille to take public protector’s finding against her on review

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