But his axing does not mean he will get off without sanction. Van Rooyen is still likely to face the music for the breaches Mkhwebane found him guilty of as he remains a member of parliament and‚ as such‚ could face disciplinary action from the National Assembly structures and‚ possibly‚ internal ANC structures.
The DA’s Kevin Mileham said: “Minister Van Rooyen has lost all credibility as a public official… and must not be allowed to get off scot free.”
In October 2016‚ the DA lodged a complaint with the Public Protector relating to Van Rooyen’s utterances.
Mileham said taking action against Van Rooyen ahead of Mkhwebane’s deadline was vital if Ramaphosa was “truly serious about rooting out corruption”.
“The DA will also exhaust all possible avenues to ensure Minister Van Rooyen is investigated and face possible prosecution for all allegations of state capture in CoGTA‚” he said.