Steenhuisen gives Ramaphosa 5 days to open a case against Paul Mashatile
According to media reports, during his tenure as human settlements MEC in gauteng, Mashatile was allegedly involved in corrupt relationships with business people around tenders.
DA leader to John Steenhuisen, flanked by MPL Solly Msimanga and MP Solly Malatsi, at the Union Buildings in an attempt to hand over a dossier allegedly implicating Deputy President Paul Mashatile in criminal activity. Picture: X/@Our_DA
JOHANNESBURG - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen is adamant action must be taken against Deputy President Paul Mashatile following corruption allegations levelled against him.
According to media reports, during his tenure as human settlements MEC in Gauteng, Mashatile was allegedly involved in corrupt relationships with business people around tenders.
Steenhuisen planned to hand over a document detailing these claims at the Union Buildings on Friday morning.
He gave President Cyril Ramaphosa until Wednesday 7 February to make a case for Mashatile's immediate investigation before the opposition delivered the document to Parliament’s Ethics Committee, and the office of the public protector.
Steenhuisen, who has come under fire over the past few days about comments he made pertaining to the recently deployed Gauteng crime wardens accusing them of being drunkards who wear uniforms purchased from store chain Pep, wants Mashatile gone.
He has barraged the ruling party with complaints about its inability to clamp down on corruption.
[WATCH] John Steenhuisen, DA leader, said he will not apologise for labelling the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens (AmaPanyaza) as “drunkards”.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) February 1, 2024
Steenhuisen said there has been a “complete overreaction” to his comments.
Many have called his comments racicially insensitive. TCG pic.twitter.com/uA20gsQGNo
NOT A POLITICAL STUNT
Steenhuisen dismissed allegations that the party's dossier accusing Deputy President Paul Mashatile of corruption is a political stunt ahead of this year's elections.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines, he said he believed their accusations would stand in a court of law.
Steenhuisen remained adamant that the allegations contained in the docket were true and needed to be attended to urgently by Ramaphosa, under whom he said corruption had worsened.
Likening the situation to that of Former President Jacob Zuma, who served as Deputy President during Thabo Mbeki's tenure, he called on the incumbent government to handle Mashatile's case with the same seriousness.
Steenhuisen said if Ramaphosa did not act, the party would take the matter against Mashatile to the Public Protector, and Parliament's Ethics Committee.
He also accused the current administration of failing to take decisive action against corruption and financial mismanagement.
The main opposition said that none of Ramaphosa's representatives came out to receive the dossier, that it was instead advised to hand it over to police officials stationed outside the Union Buildings.