Finance Minister Tito Minister says Ranjeni Munusamy’s appointment is above board, but promises to fire her if she is found to have committed any wrongdoing.
Cape Town - Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has defended the appointment of former journalist Ranjeni Munusamy as his community outreach officer, saying it was done within the prescripts of the public service laws and regulations.
Mboweni said Munussamy possessed the requisite skills for the position she occupied.
Speaking during an oral question session on Wednesday in Parliament, Mboweni said Munusamy was highly qualified for the position and has extensive knowledge of politics.
He was responding to EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu who asked oral questions questions weeks after Mboweni shared on Twitter a photo of ministry staff containing Munusamy.
This sparked an uproar particularly from the EFF and the DA, who questioned the appointment since allegations were made in the Zondo Commission that Munusamy unduly benefited Crime Intelligence unit funds.
In his response, Mboweni said Munusamy was appointed within public service laws and regulation for the filling of a position in his position without advertising.
"The person is responsible, among others, for liaising with the constituency of minister in this case the office in Tzaneen, interacting with communities on services of the ministry of finance."
He also said she was interacting with domestic and international stakeholders on services of his ministry and supported him on public outreach programmes.
But, EFF MP Ntombovuyo Mente who contended that the minister had not answered the main part of Shivambu's initial question on appointing Munusamy when there were serious allegations made against her.
"Are you saying those allegations don't mean anything? Are you stating that South Africans with questionable characters must be employed, and what happens when findings find them on the wrong side of the law," she asked.
Mboweni scoffed at the argument advanced by Mente saying if there was talk of allegations, many EFF should not be in Parliament.
"If we work on that basis, a number of EFF members should not be in Parliament actually because there are accusations against them about VBS Bank.
"You should be careful how you phase a question and deal with matters like this," Mboweni said.
He, however, said he was aware that allegations were made against her and that he had satisfied himself in terms of the facts before him and when he had asked her questions regarding the allegations.
"If she was going to be found, somehow, to have committed wrong-doing, she obviously will be frog-marched out of my office, but for now I don't have a reason not to work with her," he said.
Mboweni would not be drawn to say what Munusamy had told him saying he did not want to interfere with the commission.
"I don't want to say anything the commission might find to have interfered with their work. As I speak now I am satisfied she is indeed qualified and a good person to work in this capacity."
The session drew some drama when NFP's Munsoor Shaik-Emam said the question was the most absurd coming from Shivambu who was accused of looting VBS Bank funds.
This irked EFF MPs with Mente and Natasha Ntlangwini raising points of order and demanding that he should withdraw before he finished asking his question.
Shivambu entered the fray demanding the withdrawal by Shaik-Emam.
Chair of the session Grace Boroto cautioned Shaik-Emam and asked him to make a substantive motion to the dislike of the EFF who accused him of stealing money from his party.
Boroto stood her ground pointing that Shivambu had made allegations against Shaik-Emam that warranted a substantive motion.
Political Bureau