Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane has been reported to Parliament’s Ethics Committee and the Public Protector for allegedly “deliberately misleading” Parliament.
Zwane recently stated‚ in a written Parliamentary reply‚ that his December 2015 trip to Dubai was organised and paid for by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
Democratic Alliance MP James Lorimer on Wednesday said this clashed with information in the public domain about him being a passenger on a Gupta-sponsored flight to Dubai.
“The Public Protector’s State of Capture report found that Zwane had not used the ticket the DMR purchased for him to travel from Zurich to Dubai. The question is‚ how did Zwane get to Dubai?” asked Lorimer.
“Leaked Gupta emails list the Minister‚ along with Tony Gupta‚ as a passenger on a Gupta-sponsored flight that was cleared to fly to Dubai on 2 December 2015.
“Based on the replies he submitted to Parliament‚ it appears that Zwane deliberately misled Parliament‚ which is a breach of Section 7 (a) and (b) of the Powers‚ Privilege and Immunities Act.”
The DA has submitted formal complaints to Parliament’s Ethics Committee and the Public Protector‚ Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
“In addition to these allegations‚” he said in a statement‚ “Zwane has also seemingly mislead Parliament when he failed to satisfactorily answer a DA Parliamentary question regarding interaction with the Gupta family. In his response to the DA‚ Minister Zwane stated that he ‘has not met with any member‚ nor close associate of the Guptas’.
“Yet‚ in the media‚ the Minister has been quoted saying‚ Let me put the record straight: ‘I met with them‚ I’ve engaged them.’ Furthermore‚ the leaked Gupta emails show that the Minister was due to meet with Tony Gupta at the Guptas’ Saxonwold compound.”
Lorimer suggested that Zwane had been “captured” by the Gupta family.
-TimesLIVE
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