Parliament recommends Dipuo Peters be suspended for one term

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Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has recommended that ANC MP and Former Transport Minister Dipuo Peters be suspended for one term after she was found guilty of breaching Parliament’s Ethics Code.

The committee found that as Minister of Transport, Peters failed to act in accordance with the public trust placed in her. She also failed to maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliament. The complaint against Peters was brought by hashtag UniteBehind Zackie Achmat and Zukiswa Fokazi.

Achmat and Fokazi accused Peters of failing to appoint a CEO for the State-Owned Passenger Rail Agency after the Board commissioned a recruitment process. This resulted in financial loss of about R1.8 million.

The two highlighted a North Gauteng High Court judgment which found Peters’ behaviour was irrational, unreasonable, and unlawful when she dismissed the PRASA board under former Chairperson Popo Molefe. That board uncovered R14 billion in irregular expenditure and instituted investigations into corruption at PRASA.

They also complained that Peters failed to investigate allegations that rail-leasing company Swifambo, paid R80 million of a R3.5 billion PRASA tender, to the ANC.

Peters also used PRASA buses for ANC events during 2014 and 2015, without ensuring payment from the party. The joint ethics committee found her guilty in all regards.