DA gives ultimatum to Ramaphosa to axe Dlamini, Gigaba
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to axe Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini and Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane briefed media in Cape Town on Friday.
He said the party would be laying criminal charges against Dlamini.
The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled that the former minister of social development must pay 20% of the legal fees incurred during the social grants debacle.
The court also ordered requested that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) consider perjury charges against her.
In handing down the ruling, Justice Johan Froneman said that Dlamini may have given false testimony under oath at the inquiry into the grants crisis.
Gigaba was also found by the High Court to have lied in a case filed by a company that wanted to open a private immigration terminal at OR Tambo.
Maimane said President Ramaphosa must immediately fire both ministers.
“Therefore you can't in this instance when you keep people in cabinet who clearly are liars, and it is not me saying that, it's the courts of the land saying that, how can that be a rational decision to keep them in office?
So the prerogative question can be a political judgment, I don't dispute that the president has ample power to do so. But if someone committed a crime it would be irrational for them to be for an example to be the minister of justice”, said Maimane.
Maimane also wants Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to speed up her investigation into Gigaba.
Earlier this year, the Northern Gauteng High Court found that Gigaba lied under oath in regards to a fronting company linked to the Oppenheimers.
Fireblade Aviation had approached Gigaba, during his previous stint as Minister of Home Affairs, requesting that he provide staff for a new immigration terminal at OR Tambo International Airport.
“Imagine the minister of Home Affairs being found that he has committed perjury, it would not even begin to pass the test of rationality,” adds Maimane.
The DA has given President Ramaphosa five days to fire both ministers.
Should he fail to do so, the party will approach the courts.