DA opens case against premier

[Abe]

The man was already exposed, the police knew about it already! He has already confessed to the world! Do you see any need to run to the Police to tell them of something they already know???

No, it was reported to him when it happened. He kept quiet until now about it.

 

[bsntombela]

No, it was reported to him when it happened. He kept quiet until now about it.

It was allegedly (according to Niehaus), reported to him when it happened, he says otherwise!

 

[Fuma]

Some time back, Paul Mashatile spent thousands of rands (if not millions) on dinner to entertain some people while he was Gauteng MEC of Finance.

Shilowa knew it. Everybody in the ANC knew it. It'll be very naive for anybody to trust politicians. It doesn't matter what party.

 

[milomak]

The fact of the matter is that:

1. Mashatile knew Niehaus had committed fraud
a. Mashatile claims that the internal processes of GEDA uncovered the fraud
b. Niehaus claims he told Mashatile hours after writing the letter.
c. Under both scenarios, Mashatile knows a fraud has been committed.
2. Mashatile did not report this to the police.
3. The Act compels him to report this to the police.

Now as to whether it is opportunism? Yes.

 

[BBSA]

It was allegedly (according to Niehaus), reported to him when it happened, he says otherwise!

Well that is why we have a justice system. Let the allegations be tested in a court of law.

 

[Abe]

It was allegedly (according to Niehaus), reported to him when it happened, he says otherwise!

No, 2 days ago on the radio, he confirmed that it was reported to him at the time. The difference in stories comes about because Niehaus says he came forward to Mashatile and admitted to it once he did it whereas Mashatile says that their internal structures picked it up. Mashatile says that because Niehause resigned, they dropped matters, but thats not his call to make. He had an obligation to report it to the police.

 

[Slyce]

I say its all just a ploy to take our minds off the real criminal... our soon to be president JZ

 

[Abe]

I say its all just a ploy to take our minds off the real criminal... our soon to be president JZ

But JZ says he wants his day in court

 

[bsntombela]

No, 2 days ago on the radio, he confirmed that it was reported to him. The difference in stories comes about because Niehaus says he came forward to Mashatile and admitted to it once he did it whereas Mashatile says that their internal structures picked it up. Mashatile says that because Niehause resigned, they dropped matters, but thats not his call to make. He had an obligation to report it to the police.

Fair enough.

These charges will not hold in court coz they're purely based on "I say - he says", thus meaning the intent of the DA is not to expose corruption, but merely to play a role of the party that fights corruption to win the citizenry.

To me it's just another useless political game that will not even see a day in court

 

[Vrotappel]

I just love the way the ANC supporters in this thread support the fraudsters. Corruption is a crime people even if committed by a comrade. What's wrong with the ANC supporters?

 

[milomak]

Some time back, Paul Mashatile spent thousands of rands (if not millions) on dinner to entertain some people while he was Gauteng MEC of Finance.

Shilowa knew it. Everybody in the ANC knew it. It'll be very naive for anybody to trust politicians. It doesn't matter what party.

iirc it was r90k at the Auberge Michel. However there was nothing that was deemed to be fraudulent about that if that is the angle you were taking. It was however obscene and excessive in my eyes.

 

[milomak]

Fair enough.

These charges will not hold in court coz they're purely based on "I say - he says", thus meaning the intent of the DA is not to expose corruption, but merely to play a role of the party that fights corruption to win the citizenry.

To me it's just another useless political game that will not even see a day in court

Mashatile has publicly acknowledged knowingly not reporting a case of fraud. How more clear cut must it be?

 

[Fuma]

iirc it was r90k at the Auberge Michel. However there was nothing that was deemed to be fraudulent about that if that is the angle you were taking. It was however obscene and excessive in my eyes.

Surely that wasn't the only obscene and excessive expenditure? All I'm saying is that we'll be asking too much to expect politicians to be incorrupt.

 

[Abe]

These charges will not hold in court coz they're purely based on "I say - he says", thus meaning the intent of the DA is not to expose corruption, but merely to play a role of the party that fights corruption to win the citizenry.

To me it's just another useless political game that will not even see a day in court

Not so, 702 have a recording of him admiting to hearing about it at the time. No "he said" / "she said". At the very least, politicians will think twice now about keeping quiet to protect their buddies.

 

[milomak]

Surely that wasn't the only obscene and excessive expenditure? All I'm saying is that we'll be asking too much to expect politicians to be incorrupt.

oh on that we agree. it would Rev Stofile does as well. Which is a bit worrying isn't it?

 

[BBSA]

Seems like the premier is guilty.

Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile had previously warned the African National Congress (ANC) leadership about its former spokesperson, Carl Niehaus, he said on Wednesday.

"I informed the [ANC] secretary general [Gwede Mantashe] last year that this is the kind of person you are employing," Mashatile told reporters at the Gauteng legislature.

more...

 

[Albereth]

ROLMAO I challenge you to just one day, just one day surprise me...you're as predictable as knowing that the sun will set in the west this evening.

They're well within their rights to make a hullabaloo about this but Niehaus has lost all credibility and Paul Mashatile, well since no money was ever exchanged(if you read the press reports) the case for corruption/fraud in my limited understanding of these things is a very tenuous one that I doubt even the NPA in its Jacob Zuma-busting mode would want to prosecute.

You do realise that not one cent has to have changed hands. Misrepresentation is fraud and that is an offence. The quantum is only relevant come argument in mitigation time.

And if government is serious about rooting out corruption it should do so without taking the 'amount' into consideration. Fraud is fraud. Go to jail, do not pass Go. Do not collect a fat payment.

 

[Albereth]

I just love the way the ANC supporters in this thread support the fraudsters. Corruption is a crime people even if committed by a comrade. What's wrong with the ANC supporters?

Can you blame them for wanting to protect their source of income?

 

[Albereth]

So here is the thing. Ma****ile says that GEDA uncovered the fraud and that the accouting officer for GEDA should have prosecuted. Seems that didn't happen and Ma****ile is trying to claim that it was no longer his problem and that he is not responsible.

Ma****ile was the MEC for finance.
The MEC for finance is head of the provincial treasury
The provincial treasury must enforce the Public Management of Finances Act (PMFA).

To claim that GEDA were doing this and as far as he was concerned it was sorted means that Ma****ile was also contravening further requirements in Section 18 of the Act. He was supposed to monitor and assess the implementation of national norms and standards (or do we assume it is the norm to do nothing?) and he must intervene by taking appropriate steps etc etc. This he didn't do either.

 

[JungleBoy]

Does anyone know what the anti-corruption/fraud act says about how long an individual has until they can report corruption/fraud. I'm asking this because I can discover fraud today and before I know it, somebody else knows about it and lays a charge against me for not reporting it. What is the window period that one has until they can be charged under the law.