Malusi Gigaba: Parliamentary committee part of campaign to vilify me

Embattled home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba has accused parliament’s portfolio committee of public enterprises of joining a “well-orchestrated political campaign” to vilify him.

This comes after Business Day reported on Monday that a draft report on state capture at Eskom‚ compiled by the committee‚ names Gigaba as one of government officials suspected of being “captured” and who should be criminally investigated.

Speaking on the sidelines of a walkabout at the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp on Monday‚ Gigaba told media that he will consult his lawyers on dealing with the leak and the contents of the report.

“This is part of a well-orchestrated campaign to vilify my name in terms of which things are leaked deliberately without giving me first preference to respond to the allegations‚ because I’ve not been given the privilege of receiving the draft report to study it and comment on it so that I can correct any inaccuracies or incorrect information contained in the report‚” he said.

“Unfortunately‚ the pattern has been: vilify his name first; create a negative narrative about him; ensure that by the time he gets to respond you’ve subjected him to a kangaroo court; you’ve subjected him to a public lynching. You’ve ensured that by the time he gets to respond to the allegation he has already been so vilified that you’ve created a public narrative and opinion of wrongdoing already.”

He accused the portfolio committee of joining the campaign.

“It’s a well-orchestrated political campaign. It is unfortunate that the portfolio committee has thrown itself into the very same process… I am a member of the ANC in good standing. I don’t deserve to be treated in this fashion. It is unfortunate‚ it is unjust‚ it is unfair‚” he said.

“I am going to have to consult with the ANC in relation to how they are going to respond to this. I am going to consult my lawyers in terms of how I am going to respond to this. I insist it is a well-orchestrated political campaign‚ the portfolio committee has thrown its head into the campaign and I am going to fight back.”