Let Hawks investigate PPE graft, not ministers, Cope says

The Congress of the People (Cope) have voiced their disapproval following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of a Ministerial Committee that must investigate alleged Covid-19 related corruption.

With Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola appointed as the chairperson, the rest of the committee comprises of ministers in the Presidency, Finance, Police, Public Service and Administration, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

In a statement on Thursday, Cope national spokesperson Dennis Bloem said that the party rejected the appointment of the committee due to the ministers’ colleagues being considered as suspects.

ALSO READ: All PPE contracts will be made public – Mboweni

“We believe this is an insult to the people of the country. We don’t have any trust in these Ministers to investigate anything that has to do with corruption.

“There are serious allegations against some of their colleagues who are also suspects. This is not a political matter. It is a criminal matter. Corruption took place, people have committed crime,” he said.

Bloem further argued that the ministers did not have the experience to investigate crime and called on Ramaphosa to appoint law enforcement to deal with the matter instead.

“Ministers don’t have any experience or skills in investigating corruption and crime. It seems to us we don’t have law enforcement agencies anymore. Why are they not involved in these investigations?

“President Ramaphosa cannot run this country by Commissions of Enquiry or Commissions – it is totally wrong.

“COPE wants to tell President Ramaphosa that we demand that he appoints the Hawks to investigate the personal protective equipment (PPE) corruption,” he added.

Earlier this week, the party had called Finance Minister Tito Mboweni to probe all provincial departments dealing with Covid-19.

READ MORE: No conflict of interest identified yet on awarded PPE contracts, says Lamola

It called on law enforcement to arrest all those blatantly stealing taxpayers money.

“We have no doubt that this Covid-19 rampant corruption is not only taking place in the health department.

“Departments such as social welfare, provincial-local government and provincial human settlements, water affairs, are among others. These departments must also open their books and publish all companies which have tendered for the shelters for homeless people.”

Meanwhile, the National Union of Metal Workers South Africa (Numsa) also called for corruption to be tackled from all sides, amid allegations of corruption surrounding the African National Congress (ANC).

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