Presidency and DA debate regarding the Anti-Corruption Task Team

Oscar Thomas
29 January 2015

The Presidency has yet again hit back at comments made by Premier Helen Zille this time regarding the Anti-Corruption Task Team. 

In her latest article on SA today Premier Zille said there is effectively no more Anti-Corruption Task Team since suspended Hawks boss Anwa Dramat. 

Presidential Spokesperson Mac Maharaj said the comments by Premier Zille that the unit has been disbanded are not true and baseless. 

Maharaj said the ACTT is fully operational and has been strengthened under the leadership of the anti-corruption inter-ministerial committee led by the ministry in the presidency for planning, monitoring and evaluation Mr Jeff Radebe.

Maharaj said it is disappointing that the Premier had decided to spread misleading information and gossip when she could’ve easily established the facts and imparted accurate information to the public.

“In June 2014 the Anti-corruption IMC confirmed and concretised the role of the anti-corruption task team as the central body mandated to give effect to Government Anti-Corruption agenda as collectively informed by the National Development Plan the medium term strategic frame work, the national security strategy and the countries international obligations Maharaj added.

Meanwhile in response DA leader Helen Zille said the presidency did nothing to refute her claim. 

In a statement Zille says Mac Maharaj must have penned his statement in response to the newsletter straight after his effort to spin the stepping down of the SIU head Advocate Vas Soni. 

Zille’s Spokesperson Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka said while the DA leader appreciates the time taken by spokesperson Mac Maharaj has taken to dispute DA’s newsletter on the demise of the anti-corruption team it would have been very useful if he had actually commented on what Premier Hellen Zille wrote.

“The Presidency calls this statement disappointing and misleading but it does nothing to refute Helen Zille’s claim Makoba-Somdaka added.