Deputy President Paul Mashatile has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to not use the Madlanga commission’s interim report to act on suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
Mashatile said Ramaphosa had already shown leadership by directing that action be taken against senior police officers based on the commission’s recommendations.
Not acting on Mchunu, Mashatile said, did not mean he had escaped accountability as Ramaphosa was waiting for the final report from the commission before deciding on appropriate action.
“As far as I’m concerned, the president has not exonerated anyone, not that I know of. So let’s leave it there for now,” said Mashatile.
“What the president is doing is that even with minister Mchunu, what the president said is that he’s now on leave; that doesn’t mean exoneration. The president is awaiting the report of the commission to be able to act. I think let’s wait for the president to get a full report.”
Mashatile was answering questions in the National Council of Provinces on Thursday, which related to his duties as deputy president.
He said the level of corruption being exposed at the Madlanga commission was “things that must make all of us worried”.
The question is, who do they sell it to? I’m sure they don’t sell it in informal settlements. So we need to [ask] beyond the guy who is digging, ‘Where does this product go?’
— Deputy President Paul Mashatile
South Africans should, however, not assume that every police officer is corrupt.
“We must also accept as South Africans that there are many good men and women in the SAPS. SAPS is an organisation of more than 100,000 people. And it’s true that within that there are these elements.
“They say a few rotten potatoes can make the whole bag of potatoes rot, but because now we are zooming in on these individuals, we will protect the entire system.
“We must protect [the good men and women] by getting rid of the bad elements. This is a process we have started that is going to lead that.”
Mashatile also answered questions related to illegal mining and said the government was working on a strategy that would eliminate all role players, from the kingpins to the diggers, up to the buyers.
“Those who are doing illegal mining are obviously motivated by the fact that they are getting these resources, but the problem is that they also have the market for it because they don’t eat gold; they sell it.
“The question is, who do they sell it to? I’m sure they don’t sell it in informal settlements. So we need to [ask] beyond the guy who is digging, ‘Where does this product go?’
“Because we might find that there are big guys there who are involved.”
He said the government would want to “touch” everyone and make sure the market for illegal resources is closed.
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