Mantashe Joemat-Pettersson

DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 21JAN16 – Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Energy of South Africa captured during the session ‘Forum Debate: Fossil Fuel Futures’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2016.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/swiss-image.ch/Photo Monika Flueckiger / flickr

Mantashe questioned over Joemat-Pettersson’s role in fuel stock sale

Gwede Mantashe was asked about the sale of fuel reserves back in 2015 whereby Joemat-Pettersson’s name came up.

Mantashe Joemat-Pettersson

DAVOS/SWITZERLAND, 21JAN16 – Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Minister of Energy of South Africa captured during the session ‘Forum Debate: Fossil Fuel Futures’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2016.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/swiss-image.ch/Photo Monika Flueckiger / flickr

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe, during a National Assembly question and answer session on Wednesday 4 November, was asked about the current status of disciplinary action in respect of the sale of fuel reserves back in 2015. Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Kevin John Mileham also asked Mantashe a follow up question regarding Tina Joemat-Pettersson. He put forth the following; 

“What steps will you take to have Mrs Tina Joematt who was the former minister of energy removed from her position as chairperson of one of the portfolio committees tasked with overseeing corruption and investigations namely the portfolio committee on police, given her role in the corrupt and dishonest manner in which our strategic fuel reserve was sold from under our very noses?”

MANTASHE RESPONDS TO SALE OF SA FUEL RESERVES   

Mantashe said it’s quite an old and complex case that he found in the department. 

“We have invested in resources to follow up the case. It is now in the courts. Mantashe said the money is with the department and the fuel stock is in storage in Saldanha,” he said.  

“We agreed to take a more systematic approach. We agreed that the logical starting point is to settle the matter,” he added.  

“We were able to discover in the affidavit that new people were involved and transgressing the law in the selling of the stock. The next phase will be taking up the individual cases which is the key point of the case. While the criminal charges have been laid the hawks have been engaged in investigations. To ensure that there is action, we continued to work closely with the Hawks,” said Mantashe.  

“To ensure that there is traction, we continue to work closely and cooperate with the Hawks in their criminal investigation. The question of disciplinary cases in the department is an issue that will follow once we are finished with the main case. As in the affidavit, new people who are still with the department are beginning to be revealed to be culprits.”

Mantashe said they want to settle the case of stock and then deal with individual cases internally and externally. 

“If any member of the ANC appears on a list at that point we’ll invoke the policies of the ANC and the state will take its course,” he said.

Although he didn’t make mention of Joemat-Pettersson’s name, he did say anyone thought to be implicated would be investigated.

JOEMAT-PETTERSSON ACCUSED OF SELLING OIL RESERVES FOR FRACTION OF MARKET PRICE 

Joemat-Pettersson, many years ago, allegedly sold off a large chunk of South Africa’s strategic oil reserves to an unnamed foreign company. 

As previously reported by The South African, Joemat-Pettersson allegedly sold the oil at the lowest possible price of just $29 a barrel – which lost SA billions of Rand in potential profit.

When pressed for details about the sale, Pettersson allegedly said the oil wasn’t actually sold off, but rather that government was merely doing a rotation of our oil stock.