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Patricia de Lille, Minister of Public Works.
- The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille, responded to the prosecution that she claims to have evidence of irregularities against her.
- De Lille said that the “evidence” from the Prosecutor’s Office, primarily around the Beitbridge border tender, is mere unproven accusations.
- The prosecutor says De Lille should resign because of his role in the border issue.
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Patricia de Lille, has calmly responded to the Prosecutor’s Office, which has been attacking her for her role in the Beitbridge border scandal.
On Wednesday, de Lille encouraged anyone with evidence of having committed a crime against him to “provoke” it.
Now the prosecutor has called her a bluff and has produced, what they call, convicting findings against her.
But De Lille, unfazed by the claims of DA MP Samantha Graham, has launched a brutal attack.
“The so-called shadow vice minister, Samantha Graham, is trying to build her profile to push the true shadow minister, Patricia Kopane, who is not even recognized in the prosecution as the true shadow minister just because she is saw supporting Mmusi Maimane.
“Samantha Graham is working together with the white boys club in DA who have failed four times in the Western Cape Superior Court to prove the corruption allegations against me,” he said.
READ | De Lille apparently ‘had a contractor in mind’ for the Beitbridge border project: Treasury
De Lille faces growing calls to resign after allegations that he had abused his powers in connection with the controversial Rand 40 million Beitbridge border tender.
Graham claimed De Lille ducked and dived in responsibility for the now infamous Beitbridge Border “washing line” priced at more than 40 million rand.
“A report from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) established that the minister made a mistake when she issued an emergency directive on the fence to the Director General of the Department of Public Works and (DPWI) on March 16, 2020.
“The report found that these instructions ‘placed a huge project and compliance risk for the Department.’ A National Treasury report found that ‘it would appear that the Minister had a contract, supplier, or contractor in mind’ when he instructed that a variance order issued to apparently ensure a specific contractor, Magwa Construction, was appointed, ”said Graham.
In response, De Lille said: “In regards to all these accusations regarding the Beitbridge project, the president issued a proclamation on July 23 that all these allegations related to Beitbridge will be proven.
“All the accusations must be proven and this is what is happening with the proclamation that was issued by the president and we are all waiting for the result. It is only the DA – as within his own party – that does not believe in due process.” . and that all accusations must be proven. “
READ ALSO | DG says he was suspended by De Lille because ‘he refused to implement illegal instructions’
Graham also said that De Lille, in documents filed with the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, De Lille admitted to having identified a service provider for “special” media services in his department.
“The district attorney should stop being so vague and they should go read my affidavit in North Gauteng Superior Court and again these allegations will be proven in the superior court. I submitted my answering affidavit to the court and the court will make a decision, ”said De Lille.
Graham also said De Lille lobbied officials in connection with a R10 million payment to a service provider who approached her directly for help in March.
De Lille said the payment had to be made as a result of a higher court order that ruled against the department.
“Once again, the district attorney has no clear facts. The Western Cape Superior Court ordered [the] department to pay, not the minister. This is not evidence of corruption, they are unproven accusations and will be proven in an open court unlike the prosecutor who does not believe in the country’s Constitution and transparency, ”he said.
