Cape Town - The co-operative governance ministry has refused to answer questions on a car crash allegedly involving Minister Sicelo Shiceka's official vehicle.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, acting in Shiceka's post, said on Thursday an answer would have to wait until Shiceka was back at work.
"We would like the honourable member to allow the minister to recuperate as he is still on sick leave," Mthethwa said in response to a parliamentary question by the DA.
"It will be then that he is able to respond to the question as asked."
But Democratic Alliance spokesperson James Lorimer said an answer was overdue.
The Mail & Guardian reported in June that Shiceka's official Mercedes Benz had been written off in an accident in Cape Town. The car reportedly cost the taxpayer R670 000.
Sick leave
"At the time of the accident, Shiceka was on sick leave and refused to say whether he had been in Cape Town or whether he had been driving the vehicle," Lorimer said.
"Since when does being sick give a minister licence to fail to give a simple answer to a straightforward question? If he was really too ill to reply, he should have been relieved of his duties."
Shiceka said last week that he was well enough to return to work, but was prevented from doing so by the failure of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to timeously complete her preliminary investigation into his alleged abuse of R1m in state funds.
Madonsela in turn blamed Shiceka for the delay, saying he had failed to respond to written questions in full and on time and declined to be interviewed in person on the basis of his ill health.
She was to present her preliminary report on the matter to President Jacob Zuma this week. Zuma's office has confirmed the president would not decide the minister's future until he had seen her findings.
Abuse of state funds
Lorimer urged the president to act against Shiceka, who has been on sick leave since February.
It was reported in April that the minister spent R355 000 to visit a girlfriend in a Swiss jail; R640 000 to stay in a luxury hotel in Cape Town and more than R160 000 on plane tickets for his family.
Parliament's ethics committee subsequently called for a probe.
"He has twice [in August and last week] declared himself fit enough to return to work. If that is the case, why is he not fit enough to answer questions about this car crash?" asked Lorimer.
"President Zuma needs to take action against Minister Shiceka. How long will South Africans have to wait?"
