Statement by Rikus Badenhorst MP – DA NCOP Whip:
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament (JSCFMP) to demand an investigation into the Parliamentary Rebuild Project in its totality. We will not allow those responsible for the alleged circumvention of legal processes in the project to hide behind vague excuses and dodgy accountability.
The initial costs of rebuilding Parliament after the 2021 fire were budgeted at 2.1 billion; it has now ballooned to more than double, at 4.6 billion, funded by the taxpayers.
It has now surfaced that Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George wanted his hands on the rebuild budget so badly that he allegedly forced through the transfer of the project from the Department of Public Works, under Minister Patricia De Lille at the time, to Parliament itself. Crucially, it appears that the transfer was not done lawfully.
The Government Immovable Asset Management Act 19 of 2007 required Minister De Lille to transfer the project in writing.
She never did.
The lawful transfer of custodianship also requires the move to be gazetted.
It never was.
Yet in the face of probing questions by the Auditor General, Mr. George, the Financial Authority of Parliament, misled the nation and created the impression that the transfer was lawful.
This is the latest development in a series of allegations against Mr George, whose whopping R4 million plus salary, alleged poor financial management and dodgy appointment (which the DA will prove in court), have made headlines in recent months.
We have a Secretary to Parliament whose appointment has been called into question. Several allegations of maladministration hang over his head. His astronomical salary shows all signs of being irregular. That same man is also in control of a R4.6 billion project.
The DA will not allow the nation to be robbed blind.
The committee co-chairpersons have 7 days to respond.
