OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Wednesday 7.00pm.
DEMOCRATIC Party leader Tony Leon on Wednesday said he will ask Public Protector Selby Baqwa to widen his investigation into Mpumalanga Premier Ndaweni Mahlangu to include two controversial MECs.
Leon also called on President Thabo Mbeki to shore up corruption regulations and clearly define “abuse of public office” in a statement on Wednesday. The DP leader accused Mbeki of using technicalities to avoid condemning Mahlangu.
Leon’s statement said the Moldenhauer Commission found that Steve Mabona was not fit for public office. Yet, Mahlangu reappointed him as safety and security MEC. Leon also repeated claims that finance MEC Jacques Modipane privately admitted to lying when he denied signing three illegal promissory notes connected with the Mpumalanga Parks Board scandal.
The original claim was made by Mahlangu initially calimed Modipane had privately admitted signing the notes, but Modipane later repudiated the statement, saying he never admitted to the signatures. The promissory note scandal is the subject of an investigation by the Heath anti-corruption unit.
Leon said the DP will write to Baqwa requesting him to include Mabona and Modipane in his enquiry.
Mbeki, meanwhile accused opposition parties of a lack of compassion even though the premier had apologised for saying that it was acceptable for politicians to lie.