Zuma gives big-spending minister a mere slap on the wrist

14 March 2013

Thabo Mokone

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has slapped Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson on the wrist for spending R1.6- million of public funds on lengthy stays at lavish hotels in one year by simply reprimanding her.

Zuma yesterday wrote to National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu, informing him he had reprimanded Joemat-Pettersson for violating the executive ethics code.

Public protector Thuli Madonsela last year found the agriculture minister guilty of breaching the ethics code by, among others, spending more than R420000 at a Johannesburg guest-house during the 2010 Fifa World Cup and another R151000 of taxpayers' money to fly her children home from a holiday in Sweden. Zuma's reprimand of Joemat-Pettersson follows a recommendation by Madonsela that he should take action against his minister for her breach of the ethics code.

The DA said yesterday Zuma had been soft on Joematt-Pettersson and it would ask parliament's joint ethics committee to look into the matter.

Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj dismissed suggestions the agriculture minister had merely been slapped on the wrist, saying the president had dealt with her "sufficiently".

Zuma's letter does not indicate whether Madonsela's recommendation that the R151000 used to fly Joemat-Pettersson's family from Sweden be refunded, had or would be complied with.

Reader's Comments

Report Abuse Author: thirsty Date: 14 March 2013 13:08

What do you expect Zuma to do, I mean he has recently recieved R205 Million for improving his house so R151000 is small change, we should be impressed that Zuma even did anything!! Vote for a party that would not allow any of this and we will all see major improvement for all.

Report Abuse Author: VernE Date: 14 March 2013 12:06

Future perpetrators of such misdemenours can now weigh up the cost of this "sufficient" wrist slap against the personal benefits of over-spending and simply continue.

Report Abuse Author: royboy Date: 14 March 2013 10:15

A case of one crook looking after the other crook...but I suppose the 1.6 million expenditure is nothing against the hundreds of millions unacounted by the bisho buffoons

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