- Masizole Mnqasela has welcomed the investigation of fraud and corruption claims laid against him.
- He says the experience has been embarrassing.
- Mnqasela has requested protection, along with with his family during this time.
The speaker of the Western Cape legislature, Masizole Mnqasela, has welcomed the call to be investigated following allegations of fraud and corruption laid against him.
Addressing the media at the Western Cape Provincial Legislature on Sunday, Mnqasela said when there is an element of wrong doing by politicians, they must subject themselves to a just, fair, and transparent process.
The DA gave the Hawks documents relating to subsistence, travel, and entertainment allowance claims from Mnqasela.
READ | DA asks Hawks to probe Masizole Mnqasela for allegedly fraudulent travel, entertainment claims
"... I have to say, the revelations by the DA to say to the Hawks, please investigate, I welcome them. Nobody is above the law, and no one should be treated in a special way," he said.
He said the whistle-blowers, as alleged by Premier Alan Winde, must be protected and allowed space to share evidence that they have to enable the investigation against him to proceed.
Mnqasela added:
The speaker vowed to subject himself to the Constitution and all the arms of the law.
He said he was also not naïve to the fact that there was politics and there was the law.
"I pray and hope that there is no maleficence, because I wouldn't want to see party politics being used in anyway to deal with members of parliament when in fact we've got systems in parliament that deal with matters of behaviour of members."
Mnqasela further asked that he and his family be protected during the investigation.
"This has been very embarrassing, extremely embarrassing and completely disheartening and painful, to see the things and names that I have been called."
He believes he will be vindicated.
The DA has also reported the matter to its Federal Legal Commission for an internal investigation.
