Public Protector to Investigate 3rd Complaint Against Fisheries Minister

This is a press statement issued by the DA's Deputy Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Pieter van Dalen, on 27 August 2012.

The DA has received confirmation from the Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, that she is investigating our complaint that  Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson violated the Executive Ethics Code.

This will be the third concurrent investigation into Minister Joemat-Pettersson's conduct. The other issues being scrutinised by the Public Protector are the Minister's expenditure on flights and hotels and tender procedures in her department as a result of the irregular R800 million Sekunjalo tender.

The DA requested the latest investigation on the advice of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

Section 2.1 of the Executive Ethics Code stipulates that members of the Executive must "perform their duties and exercise their powers diligently and honestly", must "act in good faith and in the best interest of good governance", and "act in all respects in a manner that is consistent with the integrity of their office or the government".

The Code also determines that when deciding whether members of the Executive complied with the provisions of this clause, the President must "take into account the promotion of an open, democratic and accountable government".

We requested the Public Protector to consider the following examples of Minister Joemat-Pettersson's failure to perform her duties as required by the act:

* Firstly, Minister Joemat-Pettersson has repeatedly failed to meet with key stakeholders in the industries she is responsible for overseeing;
* Secondly, the Minister's three-year tenure has been characterised by much blame shifting and little ownership of responsibility; and
* Finally, Minister Joemat-Pettersson's refusal to address the Cape Town Press Club unless I left the meeting undermines the principles of openness and accountability.

It is clear to the DA that the Minister has failed to carry out her duties over the last three years in accordance with the basic principles stipulated in the Executive Ethics Code. We look forward to the Public Protector's findings.

END PRESS STATEMENT.