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DA welcomes decision to summons Markus Jooste to given evidence in Parliament

We welcome the adoption of a resolution [see here] resolving to summons Marks Jooste to give evidence on the scandal surrounding “accounting irregularities” at Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.

We may now finally get to hear evidence about the “big mistakes” Markus Jooste made which resulted in what may be one of the biggest corporate scandals in the history of South Africa.

We expect the hearing, which will include the Standing Committee on Finance, Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry and Portfolio Committee on Public Administration, to be scheduled to take place on or about Wednesday 01 August 2018 in Parliament.

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Standing Committee on Finance must get stuck into the ‘accounting irregularities’ scandal at Steinhoff

David Maynier MP, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, correspondence with Yunus Carrim, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, is enclosed [here].

On 11 December 2017, I wrote to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Yunus Carrim, requesting him to consider scheduling public hearings on the scandal surrounding “accounting irregularities” at Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.

Since my request, the scandal at Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. has snowballed with:

• the resignation of the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Dr Christo Wiese, on 15 December 2017;
• the resignation of the Chief Financial Officer, Mr Ben la Grange, on 04 January 2018; and
• the news that the 2015 financial statements could no longer be relied upon and would have to be restated.

However, I have not received a formal reply to my request, although a public statement was issued following my request for public hearings, on 12 December 2017, stating that:

“Working with the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee will play a full oversight role and will call the regulatory bodies, the National Treasury, the PIC, GEPF, Steinhoff representatives and any other stakeholders to account to Parliament as soon as it reconvenes in late January 2018.”

I have, therefore, written to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance, Yunus Carrim, requesting him:

• to confirm that the public hearings will go ahead; and
• to provide further particulars on the public hearings, including the names of witnesses that will be invited to appear at the public hearings and the dates on which the public hearings will take place in Parliament.

We need to ensure that members, and former members, of the Supervisory Board and the Management Board of Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. appear before the finance committee in Parliament.

We need to know what they knew, when they knew it, and what they did about it when it came to “accounting irregularities” at Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.

We need to be tough on crime in the public sector, and tough on crime in the private sector, and that is why we need to get stuck into what may be one of the biggest corporate scandals in the history of South Africa.

 

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Social Grants Crisis: DA calls for immediate Parliamentary enquiry into ‘Dodging Dlamini’

Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, has yet again dodged accountability before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) today, as she failed to adequately account for the social grant crisis and even tried to make an early exit.
The DA once again reiterates our call for a full Parliamentary enquiry into the social grants fiasco as Dlamini’s astounding inability to provide clear answers on the terms of the new CPS contract, the new cost, or on the resignation of the DG, cannot be allowed to stand. By not answering these key questions Dlamini wishes to escape accountability and the DA will not allow this.
Dodging accountability has now become the hallmark of the ANC and comes straight from the top as just yesterday President Zuma instructed officials to stop answering questions on SASSA.
The President’s lack of action and refusal to fire Dlamini is a clear indication of how little he and the ANC care for the millions of vulnerable South Africans who rely on social grants. It is, therefore, the responsibility of Parliament to investigate the social grants crisis to ensure that Minister Dlamini is held accountable.
The DA has already submitted an application in the Constitutional Court, to pursue accountability for those who have created this crisis and put 17 million South Africans at risk. We have sought a declaratory order from the court confirming that the Minister of Social Development, the CEO of the SASSA and the SASSA, violated their duties in terms of Sections 165 (4) and (5) and Section 195 of the Constitution.
The ANC cannot continue to protect ineffective ministers at the expense of poor South Africans. The DA also believe that Minister Dlamini has violated her oath of office by failing to perform the functions of her office with honour, dignity and to the best of her ability and we are seeking a declaration from the court in this regard.
The DA will be marching, en masse, to Dlamini’s office on Friday, 10 March 2017, to send a clear message that her contempt for the poor will not be left unanswered.
The DA will continue to pursue all avenues possible to make sure that Dlamini and all those responsible for this crisis are held accountable to the full extent of the law.