Another government minister tries to block state capture report

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CAPE TOWN, October 31 (ANA) – Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane on Monday applied for court interdict to block the release of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s report on state capture, hours after Co-operative Governance Minister Des Van Rooyen did the same.

“Minister Zwane has had no option but to now become involved in this matter, as he was not afforded an opportunity to answer allegations levelled against him (contained in a letter he received from the Public Protector) in terms of the Constitution, Public Protector Act and Promotion of Administration of Justice Act,” his office said.

It added that Madonsela could not assure the minister that he was not compromised by the report.

The report contains her findings on allegations that the politically connected Gupta family yielded vast influence over executive decisions and was the last she finalised before leaving office earlier this month.

“The Public Protector cannot confirm or deny if the report, which is now alleged to be in final form, makes any adverse findings against the minister,” ministerial official Ayanda Shezi said.

“It is the minister’s submission that the report was hastily prepared without due regard to his constitutional rights.”

Van Rooyen takes a similar stance in documents he filed to court on Monday in a bid to block the release of the report, saying he would suffer “grave harm” if the report contained adverse findings which he was not given an opportunity to refute.

Van Rooyen first went to court to block Madonsela’s report a week and a half ago, arguing that she had given him only one day to respond to damning allegations that he had used his four days as finance minister last December to pull strings for the rich and politically connected Gupta family.

However, the minister withdrew the application, which was due to be heard along with a separate one by President Jacob Zuma on November 1. The president is also seeking a court order that the report be withheld.

At the time, Van Rooyen said he did so because Madonsela assured him that she had not made any adverse findings against him.

– African News Agency (ANA)