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Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had behaved in an “exemplary” manner by welcoming an investigation into her conduct over the transportation of a Burundian national to South Africa, Cosatu said yesterday.
Calling on other ANC politicians to follow her example, Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla warned that the “never-ending scandals” by the ANC led government, “risk gradually eroding the high moral ground of the movement and weaken its political capacity to lead society”.
The trade union federation was reacting to the minister’s statement last week that an investigation into the controversial rescue mission would enable her to present the facts in an impartial, fair process.
Pamla said in a statement that it was “refreshing to hear a minister welcoming an investigation and scrutiny directed at them and not claiming a conspiracy”.
“Cosatu believes that it’s wrong and dangerous for the political leadership to always evade or to be shielded and defended from any process of accountability. We do not believe in such double standards, and we expect that our laws should be applied equally to everyone.
“We encourage more leaders to subject themselves to scrutiny and accountability and eliminate bureaucratic arrogance that is threatening our government. We need a responsive and accountable leadership,” said Pamla.
The minister has been accused of smuggling a young Burundian woman, Michele Wege, illegally into the country, abusing state resources and of contravening the Defence Act, among other laws.
She has defended her role in securing Wege’s release from jail in the Democratic Republic of Congo and flying her to South Africa on board a state aircraft in 2014.
She argued that she had rescued Wege from a life of abuse, a claim which has been disputed in subsequent media reports.
