DA queries Travelgate closure

2008-05-14 18:14

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance says it has asked National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to explain why a liquidators' probe into MPs' involvement in alleged travel fraud is being terminated.

The move follows a Government Gazette notice suggesting that the liquidators of Bathong Travel, one of the agencies implicated, are to be told to abandon all civil action against MPs.

DA chief whip Ian Davidson said on Wednesday it was unacceptable that MPs could see nothing wrong in stealing public funds when the country faced a massive challenge in building enough schools, hospitals, roads and houses for the poor.

"Officials who steal public money which could otherwise be used for these purposes must feel the full force of the law and cannot simply be let off the hook," he said.

Wants full list of those implicated

"The DA has therefore today written to the Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete, to request reasons for the sudden termination of the investigation into Members of Parliament who are implicated in travel-voucher fraud."

The party also had applied under the Promotion of Access to Information Act for information on Travelgate thefts, including a full list of those implicated and the amounts that those who pleaded guilty had repaid.

Earlier on Wednesday, the United Democratic Movement (UDM) also criticised the move.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said: "This decision again sends a wrong signal; that MPs - especially high-ranking ANC members - are above prosecution."

- SAPA