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'Unrepentant, reckless Zwane should be fired'

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 Minister Mosebenzi Zwane.  Picture: Deaan Vivier
Minister Mosebenzi Zwane. Picture: Deaan Vivier

Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane remains “unrepentant” and intent on ensuring he gets the green light for a judicial inquiry to investigate the termination of banking relationships with Gupta companies, claims Democratic Alliance shadow minister of finance David Maynier.

In a letter to President Jacob Zuma, Maynier appeals for the president to not consider setting up a commission of inquiry, irrespective of whether the appeal came from an inter-ministerial committee, a task team or Zwane in his personal capacity.

Maynier said yesterday that even though the president had distanced himself and Cabinet from Zwane’s controversial statement, he believed that the recommendation had not been buried.

“In his reply to my question in Parliament on whether he will resign from Cabinet in light of his statement, the minster says this matter regarding the banks and the Guptas cannot be left hanging, and needs to be dealt with,” said Maynier.

In his reply on September 7, Zwane said that a decision on an inquiry could only be decided by Zuma after he has sufficiently applied his mind on the matter.

“Once Cabinet has dealt with this issue, it would elect to make it public – there’s no need to be in a hurry,” Zwane replied.

“It is indeed unprecedented that banks can make unilateral decisions to close accounts – this matter can therefore not be left hanging,” said Zwane.

In his letter to the president dated September 15, Maynier said that this response showed that Zwane “remains unrepentant” and this raised serious concerns regarding his suitability to his position.

“It appears that Zwane remains committed to a course of action that flies in the face of our entire democratic framework.”

Maynier said that there was a plethora of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms available to disgruntled banking clients, from the Ombudsman for Banking Services and the Ombud for Financial Service Providers and also the courts and the Competition Commission.

“Acceding to this demand [by Zwane], would undermine existing structures, and does nothing but harm voter and investor confidence,” writes Maynier.

He also appeals, once again, for the minister to be fired for his “recklessness in spearheading this entirely misguided episode”.

Maynier, who has described Zwane as a “hired gun” for the Guptas, said: “The president replied in Parliament that he is engaging with the minister, but it is a clear-cut case. The president could have acted in hours, instead it has taken weeks.”

In an SMS reply on Friday, Presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said that the president arrived this morning from New York where he attended the UN General Assembly.

“As the presidency stated in a statement issued a few weeks ago, the press statement by Minister Zwane was issued in his personal capacity and does not reflect the views of the Cabinet, the presidency and government as a whole.”

In a reply to questions about Zwane earlier this week, Ngqulunga referred to the president’s comments – that he was dealing with the matter and engaging with the minister.

Zwane’s spokesperson Martin Madlala and Cabinet spokesperson Donald Liphoko did not respond to requests for comment.

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