Ministry denies furniture removal

2012-01-20 16:13

Johannesburg - The police ministry has denied that furniture in its office has been carted off by the sheriff of the court.

Spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said on Friday that no-one knew anything about furniture worth R245 000 being attached to cover the cost of civil claims against Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

Not even the sheriff of the court had any knowledge, he said.

On Thursday, DA spokesperson Dianne Kohler Barnard accused Mthethwa of ignoring court rulings and forcing citizens to ask the sheriff to attach furniture in lieu of payment.

Mnisi said ministry officials could not establish where or what the DA was on about.

"Both the ministry's Pretoria and Cape Town registry staff confirmed that no such letter [notification] was delivered in the past 48 hours," he said.

The furniture was all still there.

The DA was guilty of "opportunistic publicity seeking" and finding fault where there was none, he said.

Kohler Barnard retorted that the minister did not know what was going on outside his own office door.

"I was shocked to see what is going on there. The sheriff is there every day because a claimant hasn't been paid."

The only reason he had not taken his furniture yet was because the ministry was "quickly doing deals".

"Of all ministries, this is one that should be setting an example," said Kohler Barnard.

She said she was collating at least five cases where the minister had not paid his due.

- SAPA