By Wendy Jasson da Costa
ANC chief whip Mbulelo Goniwe may recuse himself from today's briefing by the National Prosecuting Authority on its investigation into the multimillion rand Travelgate investigation to Parliament's oversight committee after the DA called for him to do so because he has been implicated in the scandal.
"If the DA has raised such a sentiment, I would be advising my party that I would prefer not to be part of that meeting, so it depends on that suggestion being ratified," Goniwe said.
The Travelgate saga involves the widespread misuse of parliament's travel vouchers by both MPs and travel agencies, and is thought to involve more than R30-million.
However, Goniwe told the Cape Times that he never defrauded parliament but did have private dealings with Bathong Travel, one of the agencies at the centre of the scandal.
"Bathong did not only do work with MPs. I'm not linked to Travelgate. I'm not according to my knowledge being investigated," he said.
Goniwe said the money he owed to the liquidators of Bathong Travel would be paid by the donors of the Cradock Four Trust of which he is the chairperson.
He said the trust and PetroSA were in partnership to upgrade ablution facilities in four different areas and because he did not possess a credit card, and the Cradock Four Trust was expected to pick up half of the tab, he had asked Bathong Travel to hire cars for him.
However, at the time Bathong Travel went into liquidation, the trust had not yet been invoiced for any of the vehicles hired which is how his name was eventually linked to the Travelgate scandal.
He said he had no idea what the amount owing was and that the trusts' donors would deal with it.
Goniwe said the trust would also meet with PetroSA to determine if it could assist the trust with this expense.
According to a forensic analysis on Bathong, compiled by parliament and auditors last year, land-based travel by Goniwe amounted to R66 154,74.
"The ANC has ensured that parliament has been reduced to helpless bystander whenever it comes to Travelgate.
"Supposedly the democratic centre of South African politics and the heart of oversight and accountability, for three years parliament has been forced to watch as action on this scandal is avoided, deflected, defused or delayed," the DA's chief whip Douglas Gibson said on Sunday.
Gibson said parliament would on Monday be able to "rectify the situation, to once and for all identify those responsible" and that Speaker Baleka Mbete must take "swift and decisive action" against those guilty of fraud.
Goniwe and two cabinet ministers including Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula are among more than 60 politicians who have agreed to repay debts to the liquidators in the Travelgate scandal.