President Jacob Zuma says he did not ask for help from the two cabinet ministers who‚ unsuccessfully‚ sought to block the release of the Public Protector report on the Gupta family’s political influence.
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane had filed a parliamentary question asking the president‚ “Whether he and/or his legal team instructed (a) the Minister of Mineral Resources‚ Mr M J Zwane and/or (b) the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ Mr D D D van Rooyen‚ to lodge applications to interdict the release of the Public Protector’s report‚ entitled State of Capture‚ due to the specified persons’ alleged relationships with the Gupta family; if not‚ in each case‚ what is the position in this regard; if so‚ what are the reasons in each case?“
In his reply‚ Zuma said: “According to section 34 of the Constitution of the Republic‚ everyone has the right to take any dispute to court or to another independent and impartial tribunal or forum.
“That right extends to Ministers Van Rooyen and Zwane. They do not need my permission to exercise this constitutional right.”
Zuma was also asked about Zwane’s controversial statement‚ issued as if it came from Cabinet‚ that there should be a judicial review to consider creating a state bank after major commercial banks suspended their dealings with the Guptas.
The UDM’s Bantu Holomisa asked Zuma: “Whether‚ with reference to the reply of the Minister of Mineral Resources to an urgent oral question 205 on 7 September 2016‚ he has applied his mind to the proposal of the Inter-Ministerial Committee‚ which was chaired by the Minister‚ to look into the closure of the accounts of Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd by major banks; if not‚ what is the position in this regard; if so‚ what has been his decision in this regard?“
Zuma’s replied that Zwane had apologised after being reprimanded.
“As the Cabinet and the Presidency have publicly stated on numerous occasions before‚ Cabinet appointed the Ministers of Finance‚ Labour and Mineral Resources to open a constructive engagement with the banks on the matter of the closure of bank accounts‚” the president said.
“The team reported back to Cabinet. No other mandate was given to this team of Ministers.
“As we have stated before‚ the statement released by Minister Zwane does not represent the views of government and Cabinet.
“I reprimanded the Minister for the remarks and he apologised.”
President Zuma did not ask Ministers Van Rooyen or Zwane to interdict state capture report
President Jacob Zuma says he did not ask for help from the two cabinet ministers who‚ unsuccessfully‚ sought to block the release of the Public Protector report on the Gupta family’s political influence.
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane had filed a parliamentary question asking the president‚ “Whether he and/or his legal team instructed (a) the Minister of Mineral Resources‚ Mr M J Zwane and/or (b) the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs‚ Mr D D D van Rooyen‚ to lodge applications to interdict the release of the Public Protector’s report‚ entitled State of Capture‚ due to the specified persons’ alleged relationships with the Gupta family; if not‚ in each case‚ what is the position in this regard; if so‚ what are the reasons in each case?“
In his reply‚ Zuma said: “According to section 34 of the Constitution of the Republic‚ everyone has the right to take any dispute to court or to another independent and impartial tribunal or forum.
“That right extends to Ministers Van Rooyen and Zwane. They do not need my permission to exercise this constitutional right.”
Zuma was also asked about Zwane’s controversial statement‚ issued as if it came from Cabinet‚ that there should be a judicial review to consider creating a state bank after major commercial banks suspended their dealings with the Guptas.
The UDM’s Bantu Holomisa asked Zuma: “Whether‚ with reference to the reply of the Minister of Mineral Resources to an urgent oral question 205 on 7 September 2016‚ he has applied his mind to the proposal of the Inter-Ministerial Committee‚ which was chaired by the Minister‚ to look into the closure of the accounts of Oakbay Investments (Pty) Ltd by major banks; if not‚ what is the position in this regard; if so‚ what has been his decision in this regard?“
Zuma’s replied that Zwane had apologised after being reprimanded.
“As the Cabinet and the Presidency have publicly stated on numerous occasions before‚ Cabinet appointed the Ministers of Finance‚ Labour and Mineral Resources to open a constructive engagement with the banks on the matter of the closure of bank accounts‚” the president said.
“The team reported back to Cabinet. No other mandate was given to this team of Ministers.
“As we have stated before‚ the statement released by Minister Zwane does not represent the views of government and Cabinet.
“I reprimanded the Minister for the remarks and he apologised.”
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