EDITORIAL | The rap on the knuckles for Mapisa-Nqakula just doesn’t cut it

In a late-night statement on Saturday, President Cyril Ramaphosa - finally responding to public outcry - took action over the ANC’s visit to Zimbabwe aboard an SA Air Force jet.

The party-political trip on September 8 was for the ruling party to meet their Zanu-PF counterparts over the ongoing crisis north of our border. Defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was, at the same time, on an official, government-sanctioned trip to Harare, and given permission to use the Air Force aircraft.

But, in what Ramaphosa described as merely an “error of judgement”, the minister allowed the ANC delegation to jump on board with her.

“The president said that this error of judgement was not in keeping with the responsibilities of a minister of cabinet,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Tyrone Seale.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has also admitted the party was “wrong” to hitch a lift with the minister – and promised to pay back the costs of the trip.

He said on September 15: “We travelled in an unusual manner, and profusely humble ourselves where we went wrong during the lockdown. We will reimburse the government for the costs incurred on behalf of our delegation. Our delegation is under quarantine in line with lockdown regulations.”

In the Saturday night statement, Ramaphosa – who had ordered Mapisa-Nqakula to file a report on what happened – announced the “formal reprimand”, as well as the docking of her salary for three months, from November 1, also instructing her to ensure that the ANC refunds the state for the trip.

While any form of action against an errant minister must be welcomed - particularly given the impunity that many have been able to operate under the in the past - this simply does not go far enough.

While the financial hit for Mapisa-Nqakula will be greater than for Ndabeni-Abrahams, she is not required to apologise for her actions. Nor will she be suspended.

There were grounds for Mapisa-Nqakula to be suspended, at the very least, or even for her dismissal from cabinet. And Ramaphosa certainly has precedent for the former action.

Cast your minds back to the lockdown lunch between communications minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams and former cabinet minister Mduduzi Manana. At the time, in April, when SA was still under hard lockdown, Ramaphosa saw fit to effectively suspend the minister - it was called “special leave” - for two months. He also docked her salary for one month, and ordered her to issue a public apology.

This time, while the financial hit for Mapisa-Nqakula will be greater, she is not required to apologise for her actions. Nor will she be suspended.

It’s a rap on the knuckles. And it simply doesn’t go far enough.

This is borne out by Ramaphosa’s statement, in which he said Mapisa-Nqakula:

• Did not “act ... in the best interest of good governance” as required by the Executive Members Code;
• Failed to adhere to legal prescripts warranting care in use of state resources; and
• Acted “in a way that is inconsistent with [her] position” as required by the code.

“The sanction imposed on the minister demonstrated the seriousness with which the president viewed the minister’s error of judgement, given her high position in government,” the statement read.

But the reprimand doesn’t show the seriousness in which the offence is viewed. It’s an easy way out. At a time when the country is asking hard questions about corruption, about mismanagement, and about consequences, there was a chance to set an example that serious missteps will not be tolerated.

That chance was not taken. The “formal reprimand” simply isn’t enough.