Minister Mapisa-Nqakula ‘got off lightly’

As the Presidency yesterday remained tight-lipped about how much the ANC owed the state following the recent illegal use of an SA Air Force (SAAF) 21 Squadron Falcon 900 (ZS-NAN) jet to go to a party-political meeting in Zimbabwe, a political expert described the sanction imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the defence minister as “a slap on the wrist”.

Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula offered “a lift” to ruling party heavyweights, who included secretary-general Ace Magashule, chair Gwede Mantashe, and ANC national executive committee members Nomvula Mokonyane, Lindiwe Zulu and Enoch Godongwana, on a trip to Zimbabwe to meet ruling Zanu-PF counterparts over human rights abuses in that country.

Flying back home into a public storm earlier this month, created by concerns over the abuse of state resources for a party-political meeting, Ramaphosa over the weekend reprimanded Mapisa-Nqakula, after demanding an explanation. In his letter of reprimand to the minister, Ramaphosa said he appreciated that the ANC had committed to “reimburse the state resources spent in excess of those the minister would have incurred for her approved travel to meet her Zimbabwean counterpart”.

Enquiries to acting presidential spokesperson Tyrone Seale and defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini on how much the ANC owed the state for the use of the SAAF jet went unanswered. Chief of the SAAF Lieutenant-General Fabian Msimang referred questions to the defence ministry.

“In terms of hierarchy, the matter is at a different level to mine when it has to do with the minister. If it was an operational issue affecting my members, then I would get involved,” said Msimang. As part of the censure, Ramaphosa, who found Mapisa-Nqakula’s “error of judgment” amount-ed to acting inconsistently with legal prescripts and good governance, ordered that three months’ of her salary, starting from 1 November, be paid into the Solidarity Fund, which was established to support the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Describing Ramaphosa’s reprimand as “a slap on the wrist”, Nelson Mandela University political lecturer Ongama Mtimka said the sanction fell short of “an expect-ed standard”. “The standard is that when people are caught in those things they have to resign,” Mtimka said.

“It is only in South Africa where you find that ministers are creating an uncomfortable situation for the president because they realise that part of the currency that sustains them in office, are political alliances – it’s part of what creates untouchables.“It is a little disappointing that we have not reached a stage where people – out of shame for bad conduct – decide out of their own volition to resign.

“It is a welcome step but a far cry of what is required in our body politic to get good conduct and character restored,” Mtimka said.“Anything other than the minister resigning for her indiscretion is a slap on the wrist. “This does not send any message to other Cabinet ministers.

“All it does is to reaffirm political accommodation as key to survival in the ANC.“This underscores the message that political alliances matter more than good behaviour and conduct.“As long as you remain a crucial part of the political network that supports a sitting president, you are okay.” “Remember that an ANC president is sustained by alliances,” Mtimka said. “You upset somebody when you are already relatively weak in terms of your position as pres-ident, then you weaken yourself.”

Professor Dirk Kotze, of the University of South Africa’s department of political studies, said: “In the earlier case of Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and the latest scandal involving the defence minister, this means that ministers will have to be more circumspect in their decisions.

“They must understand that they are not above or exempt from the laws and norms in society. In the past, there have not been any consequences, but in this particular case, we see consequences in the financial sense, which is serious.” – brians@citizen.co.za

Brian Sokutu.

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