Why was ANC MP at SARS briefing?

The EFF has questioned the presence of ANC MP Mnyamezeli Booi at SARS’ media briefing about KPMG yesterday, saying it defied ‘the simple logic of separation of powers’. Booi, a member of Parliament’s Scopa, sat next to Moyane and answered questions during the briefing, according to a Fin24 report. EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi wanted to know why Booi was at the briefing at all. ‘This gives the impression that SARS is run by Parliament, defying the simple logic of separation of powers. It also creates an impression that Parliament is agreed to and in support of the pronouncements of SARS,’ he said. ANC caucus spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli, however, said there was nothing wrong with Booi sharing a stage with Moyane at the briefing. Mhlauli said Booi was at the briefing as a member of Scopa. Ndlozi said the EFF would write to Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete to call Booi and Scopa to order for ‘confusing the public’. ‘Parliament is meant to hold bodies like SARS accountable,’ he said. ’How then can this important work of holding SARS accountable be taken seriously when Parliament is at the same time seen attending press conferences together with SARS. Nothing related to Parliament was being discussed at the press conference, or even to the remit of Scopa.’

Full Fin24 report

Booi later refused to explain his presence at the briefing. SAFM’s PM Drive host, Tsepiso Makwetla, who interviewed Booi, was unsuccessful, despite repeated attempts, in getting the MP to explain lucidly why he had attended Moyane’s press briefing. Booi intimated that KPMG had disrespected the sovereignty of the state by making the announcement on Friday without first informing SARS and Moyane, notes a Daily Maverick commentary. ‘We are of the view that KPMG must account on its involvement in what appears to be politically motivated immoral and unethical conduct,’ said Booi. When pressed by Makwetla to elaborate on what exactly this ‘politically motivated’ conduct was on the part of KPMG, Booi pointedly dodged the question, says the DM. It adds Booi also seemed to have been deployed to issue a veiled threat to KPMG suggesting that ‘the report (he did not say which part of it) called into question the integrity of KPMG as an auditing firm entrusted to do business with the state’.

Full Daily Maverick commentary