Herman Mashaba slams 'disgraceful' Mapisa-Nqakula reprimand

Action SA president Herman Mashaba says it is a disgrace that defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was not sacked for flying ANC delegates to Harare, Zimbabwe, in an SA Air Force aircraft this month.

The delegation attended a meeting with the Zanu-PF leaders regarding tensions in Zimbabwe.

Mashaba slammed the ruling party, and said in a “healthy” democracy”, Mapisa-Nqakula would have resigned. “In a healthy democracy, the minister would have resigned before they got fired, but in the ANC all that matters is party loyalty, not loyalty to the state,” he said.

The former Johannesburg mayor was reacting to President Cyril Ramaphosa's “formal reprimand” of the minister and announcement that he would dock her salary for three months starting on November 1.

Ramaphosa said the money will be channelled to the Covid-19 fund established to support SA's fight against the pandemic.

Mashaba questioned whether Ramaphosa was allowed to dock the minister's salary without her consent.

On Sunday, Mashaba said Ramaphosa's stance was an “insult” and “joke” which undermined South Africans.

Meanwhile, the IFP's Mkhuleko Hlengwa told Newzroom Afrika that Ramaphosa's response does not inspire confidence.

“The minister would not have acted alone in such a grave matter which, by admission of the president, constitutes a violation of the constitution. It is the IFP's fundamental view that the president has not acted in good faith on this matter with the SA public.

“The minister, while she is wrong, seems to be a scapegoat and there is no broader accountability for the people who were party to this gross violation of the constitution,” he said.