'Fire Travelgate MPs'

2007-08-31 13:36

Cape Town - The African National Congress MPs who had pleaded guilty to Travelgate crimes should be dismissed, not demoted, says Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Sandra Botha.

"They should not be allowed to remain in those positions of responsibility and trust at all," she said on Friday.

She was responding to media reports that five ANC MPs who pleaded guilty to Travelgate crimes last year, were on Thursday demoted from their leadership positions in Parliament by the ruling party.

They would, however, remain MPs.

Botha said the DA believed service to voters was the first and greatest duty of public representatives.

"When public representatives compromise their duty to voters, as the five Travelgate MPs have done, they should suffer the consequences of their conduct; they should not be allowed to remain in those positions of responsibility and trust at all.

"The same goes for their colleagues who did not hold leadership positions," she said.

According to a statement issued by the ANC Parliamentary Caucus on Thursday, five "comrades who are currently deployed to the role of Whip will be deployed to other tasks".

They are: Danny Olifant, Priscilla Sekgobela, Jabu Sosibu, Elizabeth Ngaleka, Sophie Maine and Lewele Modisenyane.

Sekgobela was not found guilty of Travelgate fraud, but signed an acknowledgement of debt to Parliament.

- SAPA