Johannesburg - Former Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has spoken out and expressed his anger that he was forced out of his ministerial post over the Gupta naturalisation saga.
This comes amid the release on Monday of reports of several investigations conducted by Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
One of the reports clears the embattled Gigaba, an outcome which the former minister has welcomed.
Gigaba, who now works for the ANC’s policy unit in Johannesburg, was reacting to the finding that the maladministration which occurred during his tenure was conducted by senior staff within the department.
“I take this opportunity to welcome the report of the public protector which clears me of the unfounded allegations which were, partly, relied upon to hound me out of government in November 2018. I shall not be commenting further on the contents of this report until I have consulted with my lawyers,” Gigaba said.
While the report cleared him of some wrongdoing, it lambasted him for failing to submit a list of all people naturalised under exceptional circumstances.
The investigation followed complaints lodged by DA MP Haniff Hoosen and EFF MP Floyd Shivambu.
Shivambu previously alleged that Gigaba abused the provisions of the South African Citizenship Amendment Act to grant his acquaintances, the Gupta family, early naturalisation.
During the course of the investigation, the public protector highlighted the fact that Naledi Pandor was the Minister of Home Affairs from 2012 to 2014 while Gigaba served as Minister of Home Affairs from 2014 to 2017 and from February 2018 until his resignation in November 2018.
She raised concerns that between 2013 and 2017, both Pandor and Gigaba failed to comply with the provisions of the South African Citizenship Act.
“The information obtained during the investigation indicates that the former minister exercised his discretion in terms of section 5(9) of the act, to waive the requirements set out in section 5(1)(c) following him taking into consideration the motivation submitted by officials of the department, who were responsible for processing the early naturalisation application of the Gupta family,” read a part of the findings.
Despite the earlier exoneration, the report said Gigaba failed to act as a public representative.
“Gigaba conceded to failing to submit the names of persons who were granted South African citizenship under exceptional circumstances to Parliament every year, as required in terms section 5(9)(b) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995.”
The office further found that Gigaba misrepresented facts in a press conference held on March 6, 2018 when he informed the media that Atul Gupta was not a citizen of South Africa.
“Gigaba conceded to furnishing incorrect information during the press conference in question. Even though he rectified his error in a press briefing the following day, the former minister broke the public trust placed upon him,“ the report stated.
baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
Political Bureau