Cape Town — Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, has threatened to take the Portfolio Committee to court for calling the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to probe the collapsed South African Airways (SAA) deal with Takatso Consortium.
Earlier this month, Gordhan announced that the 51% takeover deal with Takatso Consortium was called off citing irregularities. A week later, parliament called on the SIU to investigate the deal as it believed the deal was not completed “above board”
During Wednesday’s meeting, MPs from the African National Congress (ANC), Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) stood firm on its decision to recommend that the SIU intervene. The Citizen reported.
“The SIU must further investigate because… as we are seated here we don’t know what happened, but there’s something fishy about the deal. The problem is that now we are talking about something that is no longer there and has been withdrawn,” ANC MP Thokozile Malinga said.
🔴We Won’t Be Threatened By Gordhan Says ANC MP’s🔴
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Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan has threatened Parliament with legal action over its plans to ask the Special Investigating Unit to probe the disgraced SAA-Takatso deal. ANC MP’s say Gordhan has no right. pic.twitter.com/ZtwtfL9fQ1
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EFF MP Nqobile Mhlongo criticised Gordhan for “throwing tantrums” and his “undertone of disrespect” in his reluctance to hand over key documents relating to the sale as well as for asking MPs to sign non-disclosure agreements.
“I don’t think we appreciate the drama he put us through to get the reports we had asked him to produce or give to the committee. So he was really not cooperative… he was very reluctant on sharing any documents,” she said. She added if the minster wanted to challenge their decision in court he was free to do so.
According to IOL, Another ANC MP Nkosinathi Dlamini said he was concerned how Gordhan was responding to the process by the committee. He said after reading Gordhan’s letter he did not think it would help to discuss the matter further.
“I want to make a comment. I have just read a letter from the minister. I don’t think it will help us to keep discussing this matter in this fashion,” Dlamini said.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
