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IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
DA pressure reignites SANDF COVID drug investigation
Both the Hawks and the SIU are proceeding with the investigation into SANDF Cuban Covid looting spree, says the writer. The criminal investigation into how over R250 million was misspent by the SA National Defence Force in 2020 on an unapproved anti-COVID vaccine from Cuba is advancing again after significant DA pressure. Both the Hawks and the SIU are proceeding with this investigation, and complainant statements were taken in person this week to support the charges the DA laid with the SAPS in 2022. Because the criminal investigation had gone cold, the DA used Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Police to prompt him on the delay in the investigation, and wrote letters to the Minister too, and following this DA intervention, the criminal investigation has been revived. The DA will now push for concrete timelines for the full investigation of this case, and we expect that it will be handed over for prosecution. Those responsible for the SANDF Cuban Covid looting spree, under the guise of a public health emergency, must be held to account — regardless of their rank or political connections. During the most recent sitting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD), the DA successfully proposed that all Hawks and SIU investigations into corruption and maladministration in the SANDF - including this scandal - be reported on quarterly. The committee supported this proposal, marking a critical step in restoring transparency and oversight in historical defence misspending. 'Whilst always abroad', Minister Motshekga may be comfortable with impunity in uniform. The DA is not. We will continue to demand answers and ensure that the Minister of Defence focuses her attention on Defence priorities inland. Nicholas Gotsell (MP) DA NCOP Member on Security & Justice
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
‘I have never lied'- Groenewald tells Parliament over 3 ‘vanished' juvenile offenders
Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald denied misleading Parliament about three juvenile offenders who disappeared from the prison system. He appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Security and Justice to address concerns raised in a recent report. DA MP Nicholas Gotsell accused Groenewald of being misled by officials and attempting to shift blame to the provincial Department of Social Development. Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald has insisted he did not mislead Parliament about the whereabouts of three violent juvenile offenders who vanished from the prison system. Groenewald appeared before Parliament's Select Committee on Security and Justice on Tuesday morning, where the Department of Correctional Services briefed MPs on its response to the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) 2023/24 Annual Report. However, under mounting pressure, Groenewald faced tough questions from MPs regarding the three juveniles who were meant to be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in 2024 but were unaccounted for during a recent oversight visit. DA MP Nicholas Gotsell has been leading the charge for answers. 'We reject the statement by minister Groenewald, who continues to deny his department's role in the disappearance of three convicted criminals from custody. It is clear the minister is being misled by officials desperate to cover up a shocking administrative failure that endangered public safety,' he said. READ | Blame game erupts over 3 violent juvenile offenders who vanished from system Gotsell added that Groenewald's attempt to shift blame to the provincial Department of Social Development was disingenuous. 'That department has no role in custodial decisions, warrants, or the implementation of court orders. Those responsibilities fall squarely on Correctional Services and the courts, as clearly set out in the court order,' he said. During the briefing, Groenewald maintained that he had relied on information provided by departmental officials. 'I did say they are in Pollsmoor, and I said there that I am responding to the information I received from the officials. Yes, it appears they were not there, and I said I would investigate the matter. If this information was given to me, there would be consequences,' he said. Groenewald said he welcomed accountability and scrutiny. 'I am open to criticism. I encourage members to come forward with problems in our facilities. I see honourable members as the public's eyes and ears. I have never lied to Parliament. I never misled, and if people are going to use problems for a political agenda, then I won't play along. The minister added that both the Horizon Youth Centre and the Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Jaco Londt, should also be called to account. 'I want to reiterate that the Horizon Centre for the Youth is part of this situation. I am willing to appear here, and we also need to get the MEC here. We should not blame the shift because it's a problem between Horizon, the police, and the correctional services. 'We have a responsibility to protect communities. Of course, it's totally unacceptable that you have dangerous offenders who slip through the system,' he told the committee. Last week, News24 reported that three juvenile offenders - convicted of murder, rape, and robbery - had disappeared from the prison system. All three, who are turning 20 this year, committed their crimes while underage. The first was convicted of rape and was facing two additional assault charges. The second was convicted of murder, and the third of murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. READ | Thabo Bester's escape casts doubt on whether private prisons are superior, says Groenewald They had been detained at the Horizon Child and Youth Care Centre in Eerste River between 2021 and 2024, sentenced under the Child Justice Act. After turning 18, they were supposed to appear in court for formal transfer into adult correctional facilities - but this never happened. News24 understands that the circumstances of their release remain unclear. Two of the three have since been rearrested. In 2023, the trio attacked four staff members at the juvenile facility, stabbing and assaulting them. Following the incident, the Western Cape Department of Social Development refused to continue housing them, and they were to be transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in July 2024. However, during an oversight visit, Pollsmoor officials were unable to confirm their whereabouts. At the time, the provincial Department of Social Development said the offenders were detained at Pollsmoor in terms of an interim high court order, and the department had no further knowledge of their detention or its management. The department said the offenders have not been at Horizon since July last year. It further said the high court order remained active, even when the awaiting trial matter related to the three individuals concluded in the magistrate's court. This means they were to continue being detained at Pollsmoor due to the continued risk they posed to the children and staff at Horizon. The department communicated this to correctional services last month, explaining why it is important for individuals to continue being detained by correctional services as per the High Court order.
IOL News
30-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Mashatile defends financial secrecy amid calls for transparency
Deputy President Paul Mashatile says he will not disclose his financial interests publicly outside what Parliament has provided for. Image: Independent Media Archives Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Thursday that he will not disclose his financial interests publicly except as required by Parliament for Members of Parliament. This comes after DA MP Nicholas Gotsell stated during a question-and-answer session in the National Council of Provinces that ethical leadership required a person in a leadership position to avoid, even as much as a perception of impropriety, to maintain public confidence. 'If you agree with this statement, deputy president, will you provide this House with an undertaking to proactive transparency and voluntarily submit yourself to the Ethics Committee, publicly disclose your full financial interests?' Gotsell asked. In his response, Mashatile said he has been a Member of Parliament and legislator for many years, and it was the ANC that introduced the declaration of interest by MPs, MECs, and ministers. 'We do that all the time, so anybody who wants to know about my financial interests, what do I own, where do I live? It's all there in Parliament.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Mashatile also said he had disclosed where he lived but had not told them how much he had in his bank account. 'Because Parliament did not say, I must go and declare those things somewhere publicly. They say I must declare them here.' He also said the declarations have a confidential section for an MP's spouse or family members, just as it was the case for ministers. 'Maybe if you want to know, you can go and ask the Speaker if you want to look at it,' he said. 'I don't know if they will allow you, but it's all there. So I can't then go out publicly and say, hey, this is how much I am worth. That's what I have, no, there's no need for that. I report to Parliament and the president, and that's it.' Initially, Mashatile was asked by MK Party's Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi about steps he was taking to maintain transparency and restore public trust in his office in response to allegations of corruption that have been brought against him by the DA, including claims of benefitting from nepotism and failing to declare certain properties. The deputy president said the allegations were exactly that: they were allegations. 'The most important thing when there are allegations is proof, right, and mainly through courts of law to ensure the authenticity of the allegations so that we can conclude if one is guilty or not.' Mashatile said he had subjected himself to the necessary processes and institutions such as the ANC Integrity Commission and Parliament's Ethics Committee. 'I will continue to subject myself to the relevant institutions as established through our own Constitution.'
The Herald
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
Correctional services minister Groenewald under fire over 'missing prisoners' at Pollsmoor
Correctional services minister Pieter Groenewald is under fire by the DA seeking an explanation as to how three dangerous inmates 'disappeared' from Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison. MP Nicholas Gotsell, the DA's National Council of Provinces (NCOP) member on security and justice, is demanding answers as to how two of them, convicted of rape and murder, were no longer in custody despite a high court order they be detained at the prison. Gotsell said three suspects were sentenced to detention for violent crimes and detained at the Horizon Child and Youth Centre due to their age. They were transferred to Pollsmoor Juvenile Centre in July 2024 after violently assaulting a staff member with a sharp object. ' Despite being sentenced prisoners, they were later transported to the Blue Downs magistrate's court on new assault charges. Legally they were remand detainees for that purpose only — but as sentenced prisoners, they should have been returned to Pollsmoor thereafter. 'Instead, they vanished,' said Gotsell.
Eyewitness News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Motshekga a no-show in Parly to brief defence committee on DRC troops withdrawal
CAPE TOWN - Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga was a no-show in Parliament on Friday to brief the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on the withdrawal of troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She's currently in Russia attending Victory Day celebrations. Although Motshekga sent the committee an apology and delegated her deputy, Bantu Holomisa, to answer members of Parliament (MPs) questions, the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Nicholas Gotsell said Motshekga's absence is unacceptable. ALSO READ: - Motshekga can expect grilling in Parly over SANDF deployment in DRC - DA - SANDF begins second phase of withdrawing troops from DRC On Sunday, Motshekga held a public media briefing on the end of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC, following the body's announcement of the withdrawal of troops. Russian media channel Sputnik showed Motshekga being greeted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with other dignitaries, ahead of Friday's military parades in Moscow. Registering his objection to her absence from Parliament, DA MP Nicholas Gotsell said this meeting was scheduled weeks ago, and Motshekga's apology appeared last minute. 'I don't think a celebration in Russia is not important at all, especially given the agenda items today, and I would like to record my dissatisfaction with the minister not being here.' But co-chairperson Malusi Gigaba has come out in Motshekga's defence, saying her deployment to Russia was at the president's behest. 'It could just not be a celebration. There are diplomatic relations involved between countries, and I think we need to respect that.' Gigaba said it could be that Motshekga is also expected to discuss issues related to Russia's war in Ukraine following the recent visit of President Volodymyr Zelensky to South Africa. The meeting is now continuing, with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chiefs briefing MPs on the withdrawal operation.
