National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete says the amount owed to Parliament through the irregular use of parliamentary travel vouchers has risen to R17-million. Previous figures provided by Parliament amounted to between R13-million and R14-million.
She was referring to various travel agencies that had billed Parliament through the misuse of parliamentary travel vouchers.
Speaking to the Cape Town Press Club on Wednesday, she also dismissed suggestions that she herself should step down — on the suggestion that it would set a good precedent — as her name has come up during the investigations into the scandal.
Indicating that the National Assembly itself will decide on what steps need to be taken regarding her own position concerning Travelgate — as the scam has come to be known — she said: “I would leave that to the conclusion of the House … my personal view is that you could make it easy to destabilise the country.”
Pointing at parliamentarian Patricia de Lille — who was at the press club function — she said someone could make an allegation against her and she would have to stand down. The following week someone else would have to stand down because of a negative story.
“We could have people stepping down every week,” she said.
Referring to a Sunday Times report at the weekend, National Council of Provinces deputy chairperson Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu said: “Anyone has the right to cast allegations against any of us. But all of us have the right to defend ourselves in terms of the Constitution.
“What you people must understand [is] the presiding officers in the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces are elected by their respective houses and therefore they are accountable to those two houses.”
Noting that the Speaker has already participated in a debate on Travelgate in the Assembly, which was followed by the weekend allegations, he said: “I know the question is: what are you going to do with the speaker? The House will see what to do with that matter … it is an allegation … we regard the speaker as the most important person running the institution. [She is] highly dignified, highly respected.”
He went on to say: “We want the house to clear this matter as soon as possible. We cannot say now what the decision of the House will be but the National Assembly will have to look into this matter… to enable the speaker to work freely.”
In response to the speaker’s statement that there are hundreds of pink slips — proof of the use of travel vouchers — to go through as part of the auditing process of Travelgate, she was asked if she in any way felt that her “own pink slip” is showing.
She replied: “Well, obviously a lot of pink slips are sitting there somewhere and will assist those with questions to have their questions answered.”
“The House will decide how to tackle this issue,” she added, noting that a multiparty meeting — a party whips meeting — was held by parliamentary parties earlier and it was decided that a decision will be taken by the National Assembly “on any action” involving herself.
The Sunday Times reported that Mbete was alleged to have used her travel vouchers to pay for her daughter to fly from Nanning in the Guangxi Zhuang region of China to Hong Kong, during an official visit to China three years ago.
She also allegedly used travel vouchers worth R20Â 000 to pay for cars she hired in contravention of parliamentary rules.
Indicating that she did not handle her travel arrangements herself, she said she had paid for the flights from Nanning to Vietnam to Hong Kong.
“I am not the best person to ask. I did not handle my travel arrangements. You are welcome to come to my office to pore over the documents.”
Mbete hoped that the final report of PriceWaterhouseCoopers — which is completing a forensic audit into the scam — will be ready within two weeks.
“We are all impatient. This is not doing any good for the image of Parliament.”
Parliamentarians are allowed to use the vouchers for legitimate internal travel — by bus, rail and air — but the investigation is into the misuse of the vouchers for travel not taken, for car and accommodation hire and for luxury services. — I-Net Bridge