The Inkatha Freedom Party believes that Minister of Correctional Services, Ngconde Balfour, should be held to account for his unwillingness to appear before Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services and to explain rumours that he is planning to get rid of National Commissioner, Vernie Petersen. 

"We find Mr Balfour's comments to MPs that "instability in his department is not their business", quite alarming. It seems that he doesn't understand politics 101: South Africa is a multiparty parliamentary democracy in which constitutional power is shared between the President and the Parliament, which means his business is our business," said Sybil Seaton, IFP Correctional Services Spokesperson. 

The IFP is also perturbed by rumours that Minister Balfour is trying to get rid of National Commissioner, Vernie Petersen, who has been praised for his efforts in trying to rid the Department of the deep-seated corruption that has

 "I have raised my concerns with the Chairperson of the Committee, Denis Bloem, who has in fact confirmed the rumours. This then begs the question: what is Minister Balfour hiding and why his trying to get rid of Mr Petersen when he should be proud of someone who is achieving success? It just doesn't make sense."  

MPs have the right to hold Minister Balfour to account as it is the committee who approve the Department's budget. "It is our mandate to play an oversight role over Minister Balfour's affairs and we therefore call on him to come and explain his agenda which at this point seems extremely dubious," concluded Seaton.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
 Sybil Seaton MP
083 412 0075