‘Government bashing won’t take us anywhere’: Mboweni defends ministers ahead of no confidence vote

As MPs gear up to vote on a motion of no confidence in president Cyril Ramaphosa's cabinet on Wednesday afternoon, former finance minister Tito Mboweni has shared his dismay over the “bashing” of government and ministers.

The vote and another on President Cyril Ramaphosa are scheduled to take place during the National Assembly’s hybrid plenary in the Good Hope Chamber.

The motions were brought by the DA and the African Transformation Movement respectively. 

Mboweni said there were good people in government doing their best.

“We should have a fair and honest conversation. This government bashing won’t take us anywhere. There are good people in government doing their best. Let’s give congratulations where it is due. For the sake of our motherland. Not negativity,” said Mboweni.

Mboweni defended cabinet ministers splurging on new luxury vehicles during the hard lockdown, saying he granted exception, when requested to do so, during his tenure as finance minister.

“Let us be fair. It is not correct that cabinet ministers did not follow National Treasury instructions on official vehicles protocols. There were exceptions granted on reasonable grounds. I granted the exceptions when requested to do so when I had authority,” he said.

“For example, the co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister [Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma] has to travel all the time on difficult roads to meet chiefs/MaKgoshi/communities on a regular basis. Sure, we must fix the roads. Agreed. Let us be fair.”

Mboweni was among those who received a new car during the hard lockdown. Taxpayers paid R653,943 towards Mboweni’s Mercedes-Benz C180. 

DA MP Leon Schreiber slammed the ministers for buying “flashy new wheels” while “poverty, hunger and hardship exploded all around them”.

“While every other citizen feels this pain every day at the taxi rank, fuel pump and cash register, there is one elite class of South Africans who are exempt from the cost of living crisis facing our country — the very ANC cabinet that caused the poverty crisis in the first place,” said Schreiber.

He said the purchases was one of many reasons why citizens should support the DA’s motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa’s “disgraceful poverty cabinet”. 

Speaking to Sunday Times, Dlamini-Zuma’s spokesperson Mlungisi Mtshali said the department made an application to the Treasury for permission to purchase her vehicle.

“We did submit a request to the minister of Treasury at that time and approval was granted,” said Mtshali. 

He said the car did not have any extras.

“We made the request based on the type of travel she does to municipalities. You will find she doesn’t rent cars. She drives across the country,” he said.

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