Deputy Minister of Small Business Development suspended without pay

Minister Dipuo Peters has been suspended without pay for one term for breaching the Code of Ethical Conduct in her former portfolio as Minister of Transport.

MINISTER DIPOU PETERS SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY

Peters is currently the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in writing, informed Peters of his decision to suspend her on Friday.

According to a statement by the presidency, the decision follows a sanction adopted by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests against Peters.

The Committee found that Ms Peters had breached the Code of Ethical Conduct in her former portfolio as Minister of Transport.

THE SUSPENSION BECAME EFFECTIVE ON 28 FEBRUARY

“Consequently, Peters was sanctioned and suspended for one term.

“The suspension, which will be without pay, became effective on 28 February 2024 and will end on 28 March 2024.”- Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President, said.

HERE IS SOME BACKGROUND ON THE SUSPENSION:

Parliament Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said #UniteBehind leader and activist Zackie Achmat lodged the complaint with several allegations.

These allegations included 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 (PRASA).”

PETERS WAS NEGLECTFUL IN HER PREVIOUS PORTFOLIO BY FAILING TO APPOINT A GROUP CEO

“The complaint also alleged that the Member dismissed the Molefe Board, seemingly because it had uncovered R14 billion in irregular expenditure and instituted investigations into corruption at PRASA.

“It was also alleged that she used PRASA busses for ANC events during 2014 and 2015 without ensuring payment from the ANC, among others.”- Moloto Mothapo said.

HERE ARE THE ITEMS BREACHED BY PETERS

Mothapo said following deliberations, the ethics committee found that:

The Member’s failure to appoint a Group CEO breached items 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the code in that the Member failed to act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in her; and discharge her obligations, in terms of the Constitution, to Parliament and the public at large, by placing the public interest above her own interests when she failed to appoint a Group CEO after the PRASA Board had commissioned a recruitment process, which resulted in a financial loss of R1 767 000.

“The Committee advised the National Assembly that for each of the three violations identified, the member should be barred from participating in all parliamentary debates and sessions, as well as from committee meetings and their related activities and operations, for one session of the parliamentary programme.”

He furthermore said the Committee additionally suggested that the suspensions for all three violations occur simultaneously during a single session of the parliamentary programme, as decided by the National Assembly.

Last year, Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove SA’s top ten weakest ministers and replace them with qualified, competent professionals in the appropriate fields. 

ALSO READ: AKA murder case: Concern about ‘expensive’ lawyers representing suspects