Deputy: DA has mixed feelings

2005-06-22 18:11

Cape Town - In principle, the appointment by President Thabo Mbeki of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as deputy president was a bold and gender-friendly move, said Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon on Wednesday.

On a personal level, the new deputy president was a woman of ability and charm.

However, from a political and moral perception, her appointment undermined the good work Mbeki did last week when he took the difficult decision to dismiss Jacob Zuma, he said.

There were a number of questions - some of them serious and all of them unanswered - which hung over the head of the new deputy president.

"First, the unfolding Oilgate scandal involves one of South Africa's largest parastatals, PetroSA, which falls directly under the department for which she was responsible in her capacity as minister of minerals and energy.

Family ties are 'troubling'

"Second, according to available information, it appears that Mrs Mlambo-Ngcuka's brother, Bonga Mlambo, benefited to the tune of R50 000 from PetroSA's relationship with Imvume.

"This allegation and any knowledge the new deputy president may have had of the transaction have yet to be acknowledged or even investigated.

"She is both the state and the SA taxpayers' representative on PetroSA, and her lack of action and candour are deeply troubling.

"Third, and of deep significance, is the fact that Mrs Mlambo-Ngcuka is married to former national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, the man who found there was a prima facie case of corruption against Jacob Zuma in 2003.

Corruption case rears its head

"The fact that Zuma has now been replaced by Mlambo-Ngcuka because of this same corruption case could cause the impression that Ngcuka and the president might well have had an agenda outside of strictly legal concerns," said Leon.

On a ministerial level, she had worked hard to introduce some positive steps towards the liberalisation of the petroleum industry, but the implementation of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act had exposed the government to billions of rands in possible international lawsuits.

- SAPA