WeeklySA_AdminViolate: Whitfield was dismissed for ‘deliberately violating the rule governing international travelling’
By Monk Nkomo
South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, shall not yield to threats and ultimatums when he exercised his constitutional prerogative and responsibility to act against cabinet ministers who had a blatant disregard to the rules and practices that governed the international travel of Members of the Executive.
This was the response from Ramaphosa to the reaction by the Democratic Alliance leader, John Steenhuisen and his party’s tantrums after last week’s dismissal of the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Andrew Whitfield.
This move so irked the DA leadership that they threatened Ramaphosa and gave him 48 hours to also remove some ANC Cabinet Ministers who had been allegedly implicated in serious criminal offences.
In a scathing response, Ramaphosa said he would not yield to threats and ultimatums especially coming from Members of the Executive that he had the prerogative to appoint in accordance with the Constitution of this country.
He was amazed at Steenhuisen’s intemperate reaction to Whitfield’s removal when he knew very well that the blatant disregard of the rules and practices that governed the international travel of Members of the Executive, was a serious violation that should not be permitted.
‘’ it is unprecedented in the history of our democracy that the exercise by the President of his constitutional prerogative and responsibility with respect to a clear violation of rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive, has met with such irresponsible and unjustifiable threats and ultimatums from a Member of the Executive.’’
Whitfield was fired because he undertook an international visit without the permission of the President. His travel to the USA, Ramaphosa added, was a clear violation of the rules and established practices governing the conduct of members of the Executive. This requirement was known to all Ministers and Deputy Ministers. This practice was rigorously observed and adhered to by all Members of the Executive. ‘’ However, Mr. Whitfield deliberately chose to violate this rule and practice.’’
Ramaphosa said prior to Whitfield’s dismissal, he had informed Steenhuisen, as the leader of the DA, that he had decided to remove Whitfield from his position and asked Steenhuisen to provide him with a replacement as the DA was entitled to a Deputy Minister as agreed.
During the discussion, Steenhuisen had informed him that Whitfield had been expecting that he may be dismissed on the grounds that he had undertaken an international trip without the President’s permission.
‘’ This expectation, along with a perfunctory letter of apology that Mr. Whitfield wrote to me following his travel to the USA without the required permission, indicated that he was aware that his actions had violated the rules and established practices governing the conduct of Members of the Executive.’’
During their discussion, Ramaphosa said, Steenhuisen had asked him if there precedent for the action that he intended to take against Whitfield. The President responded that there were prior precedents. These included the firing of the late Deputy Minister, Winnie Madikizela- Mandela by President Nelson Mandela in 1995 and the dismissal by President Thabo Mbeki of Deputy Minister, Nosizwe Madlala- Routledge, in 2007 on the grounds of undertaking international travel without permission.
‘’ Given all these circumstances, there is consequently no reasonable grounds for Mr. Steenhuisen and the DA to issue ultimatums and threats when the President exercises his constitutional prerogative and responsibility . Nor are there any grounds to try and link this with matters that have no bearing on the conduct of the former Deputy Minister.’’
There was also no basis to suggestions that the dismissal of the former deputy minister was related to any other reason than his failure to receive permission to travel and adhere to the rules and established practices expected of Members of the Executive.
Ramaphosa said it was not common practice for the President of the Republic of South Africa to provide reasons either for the appointment or dismissal of Members of the Executive.
‘’However, due to several unfortunate statements and outright distortions by a number of people, especially Mr. Steenhuisen and Mr. Whitfield himself, it was necessary for me to make a public statement on the circumstances surrounding Mr. Whitfield’s removal’’.
