MPs gun for ex-RAF CEO Collins Letsoalo for snubbing hearings

THE Standing Committee on public account (Scopa) has set its sights on piling more pressure on  former Road Accident Fund CEO Collins Letsoalo by having a criminal complaint lodged against him for failing to appear before a parliamentary inquiry.

The committee will now ask the concurrence of National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza for Parliament to lodge a criminal complaint against Letsoalo. This after he was subpoenaed to attend.

Parliamentary legal advisor Fatima Ebrahim confirmed that they received a letter late on Tuesday from Letsoalo’s attorney, stating that he would not attend the inquiry.

“He maintains that the committee is not the appropriate forum to deal with the issues we deal with and that remains in the ambit of the Portfolio Committee on Transport,” Ebrahim said.

The inquiry was established to investigate allegations of maladministration, financial improprieties, and misuse of public funds at the RAF. 

Scopa Chairperson Songezo Zibi said on Wednesday that the committee had exhausted all avenues to ensure Letsoalo’s attendance, including offering a virtual hearing option.

“We believe he was duly summoned and he failed to attend. Our responsibility has been fulfilled, and now the legal processes will take place,” he said.

MPs backed the move to take legal action against Letsoalo, with DA MP Patrick Atkinson saying the ex-CEO had no right to decide how Parliament should conduct its duties and via which committee.

“I do think Mr Letsoalo needs to face the might of the law, we need to lay the charges against him and he needs to be arrested and suffer the consequences for his actions,” added Atkinson.

ActionSA MP Alan Beesley urged that Letsoalo must face prosecution, warning that failure to act would undermine Parliament's authority.

MK Party MP Kwenza Madlala said when a subpoena is served, it becomes a legal process. “If you don't comply, there has to be a process that needs to be followed. That process has to be followed.” 

ANC MP Ntando Maduna said Letsoalo thought that Parliament was a circus. “ If we let this thing go from where we are now, it will mean we set a precedent, and people can mismanage public funds and refuse to come to Parliament to account,” said Maduna, with backing from ANC MPs Gijimani Skosana and Helen Neale-May.

EFF MP Mazwi Blose raised concern that the MPs were expressing irritation and frustration with Letsoalo.

“I don’t understand why we are in a hurry to get him arrested. We should not want to seek to expedite the process to satisfy our own egos,” Blose said.

He asked for patience and that a legal opinion be sought. “It is the Speaker who must litigate the issue,” Blose said.

Ebrahim said Letsoalo could be the first person to be charged for failing to heed a subpoena from Parliament. “We don’t have any precedent for a matter that reached full conclusion, where charges are laid because of non-compliance with summons and that person appears in a court of law,” she said.

Letsoalo could not be reached for comment as his cellphone went unanswered. He also  did not respond to messages.

Cape Times