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- Controversial ANC MP Bongani Bongo is officially on leave after the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) resolved over the weekend that those accused or found guilty of corruption should step aside.
- Bongo, who chairs Parliament's home affairs committee, was absent from a meeting on Tuesday and an acting chairperson was elected.
- Committee members demanded answers for his leave of absence.
Graft-accused ANC MP Bongani Bongo is officially on leave, but Parliament's home affairs committee is still in the dark about the reasons for his sudden absence.
This weekend, the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) resolved that all those accused or found guilty of corruption and other serious crimes should step aside from all their organisational and government positions, pending the finalisation of their cases.
Bongo, who faces charges of corruption for the alleged bribery of advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara, was one of several members asked to step aside.
During a virtual meeting of Parliament's home affairs committee on Tuesday, MPs demanded answers for Bongo's absence.
Before the meeting started, DA MP Joseph McGluwa said: "I see people running all over. What is happening in [the] home affairs [committee]? People can't join this [virtual] meeting. They are looking for links. Where is the chairperson (Bongo)?"
McGluwa later demanded answers for Bongo's absence.
"I just want to check. Normally when someone is on leave, there are reasons given for leave. We all know there [are] these rumours in the newspapers on the reasons... Is it possible that we can give the reasons why the chairperson took leave?" he asked.
Committee secretary Eddie Mathonsi, who chaired the meeting until an acting chairperson was elected, said Bongo had called him to inform him that he was on leave.
"When I spoke to him yesterday, he just indicated to me that he is on leave. He did not give me any reasons. I accept what I also read in the news, but there is no other reason that he gave me, other than he is...on leave. That's all," he said.
Both ANC chief whip in Parliament Pemmy Majodina and Speaker Thandi Modise's office said they had not received any communication from Bongo indicating whether or not he would step aside from his roles.
"No, he did not indicate," was the response Majodina gave News24 when she was asked if Bongo had requested extended leave from his position as committee chairperson.
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ANC MP Desmond Moela said Bongo was not fired and it was clear that he was on leave.
"If he has been fired, it's not a matter for McGluwa, it's a matter for the ANC," he said.
Richard Dyanti, an ANC MP, nominated his colleague, Mosa Chabane, to act as the chairperson of the committee. Without any delay, Chabane was elected acting chairperson.
DA MP Thembisile Khanyile said the party was not in favour of Chabane's election, considering that no clear reasons were given for Bongo's leave.
"About a year ago, the DA voted against the election of Bongo as chairperson. It was the ANC members of this committee who voted for him. We hope that today, the ANC has learned their lesson," she said.
In response to Khanyile, Dyanti said: "This is just silly. There is nothing to say."
McGluwa almost immediately shouted: "We told them, we told them that there is a charge against him and they did not listen. He's been fired by the ANC, he's fired and the ANC is scared to say it."
'Name the price'
Bongo, a former state security minister, is accused of trying to disrupt a parliamentary inquiry into state capture at Eskom on 10 October 2017.
In 2017, former president Jacob Zuma announced an inquiry into the power utility, following several allegations of corruption.
According to an affidavit by Vanara, who was the inquiry's evidence leader at the time, Bongo asked him to fake an illness and take sick leave because the inquiry could not proceed in his absence.
Bongo also allegedly offered Vanara, who was also the former acting registrar of members' interests in Parliament, a cash bribe.
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All Vanara had to do was "name the price" and explain to Bongo how he would help to stop the inquiry.
Bongo would, in turn, go back to the "Eskom people" and explain Vanara's plan to stop the inquiry and the price they would have to pay for his (Vanara's) assistance.
Money would then be given to Bongo who would hand it over to Vanara.
- Additional reporting by Tshidi Madia
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