Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Des van Rooyen allegedly obtained assistance from Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) staff with his academic work.
Business Day reports the allegation was made by a former PBO staff member in a submission to former public protector Thuli Madonsela during her investigation of state capture.
The allegation is also part of evidence at the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)‚ where the staff member has lodged a claim against his employer‚ alleging he was overlooked for promotion after he refused to do academic work for MPs.
In the letter‚ seen by Business Day‚ it is alleged that two PBO staff members assisted Van Rooyen in 2014 and 2015 while he was the whip of the standing committee on finance. The staff members allegedly wrote his assignments while he was studying. The letter does not reveal what he was studying towards or at which institution.
Van Rooyen did not respond to questions submitted by Business Day‚ with a spokesman saying he was out of the country.
The minister has several diplomas and an MSc Finance (Economic Policy)‚ which he obtained in July 2014 from the University of London.
Read the full story in Business Day.
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