Ministers and Gautrain

[kilo39]

For once I agree with Cosatu

He was responding to a report in the Sunday Times that Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Education Minister Naledi Pandor were part of the shareholding structure of the Bombela Consortium which won the R23-billion bid.

Unless the ministers, Mbete and the "long list of ANC officials" implicated in the report refuted these allegations, greed and selfishness had clearly overtaken the culture of service for the people, said Craven in a statement.

We reiterate the call that public representatives must choose between a career of serving the people and a business career."

He said too many political leaders sought to live beyond even the plush salaries they earned as public representatives.

"They tend to compete about how big their houses and 4X4 vehicles are, where they went on holiday and how expensive their children's private schools are.

"You cannot be a representative of the people at the same time as being a capitalist - these roles are inherently contradictory," said Craven.

Ministers hold stake in Gautrain consortium Nov 26 06

 

[bekdik]

Ministers hold shares in a major public project??? I cannot believe it!!!

It's so unexpected that elected officials would take advantage of their position!!!

This is a very unusual occurrence for the South African government.

 

[curiouswanderer]

Yeah Bekdik, u right. Government officials would never enrich themselves at the expense of the people that put them in power. Screw those tots...I want to be in government now. So many lucrative deals you can get yourself into without much effort.

How could a person not know what one of their companies are involved with? I mean wtf? It's all deny, deny, deny and get rich,rich,rich.

 

[Sideshow Bob]

As David Bullard says

"
Every day brings reports of ever more horrific stories of senior political or business figures with their hands deep in the cookie jar.

Those who have been caught, prosecuted and imprisoned treat the whole thing as a huge joke and give the rest of us the finger from behind prison walls, knowing that their corrupt buddies will see them right.
"

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Columnists/DavidBullard/Article.aspx?id=325431

 

[Cara]

I kinda had a bit of trust that Naledi Pandor would be clean. Don't know why now, but I got the impression that she was one of the people keeping her hands clean. Now I find out she is in the thick of things with this Gautrain debacle Just don't know who to trust regarding ministers anymore

 

[IamCanadian]

Ministers hold shares in a major public project??? I cannot believe it!!!

It's so unexpected that elected officials would take advantage of their position!!!

This is a very unusual occurrence for the South African government.

I assume that your post is said "tounge in cheek".

The title of this thread should read: Minister's and the Gravytrain! (Not Gautrain)

PS. Where are Angelo and exterminator now to defend their precious ANC?

 

[cyberarmy]

I kinda had a bit of trust that Naledi Pandor would be clean. Don't know why now, but I got the impression that she was one of the people keeping her hands clean. Now I find out she is in the thick of things with this Gautrain debacle Just don't know who to trust regarding ministers anymore

me 2, with her well spoken English and minister of education I thought at least we have some capable ministers........

 

[TELESPHORE]

I rest my suitcase

 

[TonyA]

In enlighten democracies taking advantage of your position is not allowed, Here it helps

 

[Daniedj]

But maybe if the ministers are active stake holders in these projects the projects just might happen to be completed. Remember we do live in Africa.

 

[xtermin8or]

Now I understand why the project got pushed through, despite complaints by communities in Tshwane who are virtually being forced out to make way for the train - money above all else - I guess - these Ministers should be taken to task

 

[telkomsuig]

Well be that as it may, the contract is signed there is no way for Guvament to repudiate due to these irregularities. The honarable thing for the minister to do is at the very least sell their stake in this project if they had any hand in the decision making around it.

 

[xtermin8or]

true Telkom - but shouldn't they face some kind of criminal ( corruption ) charges - if they had anything to do with the decision making process

at the very least they should face internal disciplinary action

 

[telkomsuig]

Government officials involvement in contracts especially BEE contracts seem to be a gray area at the moment. Rules and laws should be tightened up before they start prosecuting the officials...otherwise we won;t have any leaders left in the country...

 

[Nod]

Government officials involvement in contracts especially BEE contracts seem to be a gray area at the moment. Rules and laws should be tightened up before they start prosecuting the officials...otherwise we won;t have any leaders left in the country...

If the country can survive with these "leaders", the country will survive without them, and might even be better off.

 

[Syndyre]

true Telkom - but shouldn't they face some kind of criminal ( corruption ) charges - if they had anything to do with the decision making process

at the very least they should face internal disciplinary action

They should, but what we really need is an electorate that won't accept these sort of actions so the moment it came to light the ministers would be forced to resign, as in many other countries. Here the ANC feels secure enough that it can do whatever it wants.

 

[Syndyre]

I kinda had a bit of trust that Naledi Pandor would be clean. Don't know why now, but I got the impression that she was one of the people keeping her hands clean. Now I find out she is in the thick of things with this Gautrain debacle Just don't know who to trust regarding ministers anymore

The only one that seems to have proven himself beyond doubt so far is Trevor Manuel.

 

[xtermin8or]

They should, but what we really need is an electorate that won't accept these sort of actions so the moment it came to light the ministers would be forced to resign, as in many other countries. Here the ANC feels secure enough that it can do whatever it wants.

In this country we have a constitution, bill of rights and labour law, so no-one even Ministers can't be forced to resign the moment a rumour hits the news. Therefore I say they should be charged and a court should test whether there was anything wrong with their involvement - I personally believe it smacks of corruption - but it should be tested by a court or parliamentary comittee

 

[(DmZ)Wrecky]

The Gautrain project should go ahead, but at the original budget.(I believe it has almost doubled). The stakeholders in the project should foot the bill.

 

[Syndyre]

In this country we have a constitution, bill of rights and labour law, so no-one even Ministers can't be forced to resign the moment a rumour hits the news. Therefore I say they should be charged and a court should test whether there was anything wrong with their involvement - I personally believe it smacks of corruption - but it should be tested by a court or parliamentary comittee

I didn't mean literally forced, just mean if there was some truth to it they generally would because of the public/media outcry. Then afterwards if need be they can be charged. My point is just that a large portion of the electorate will support the ANC regardless of their actions so the ANC feels it can do what it likes.