Former Transport minister and current deputy minister of Small Business Development, Dipuo Peters, has been suspended by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The suspension will last for a period of one month without pay.
The decision to suspend Peters comes after a sanction was adopted by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members Interests, which found that she had breached the Code of Ethical Conduct during her tenure as Minister of Transport. The presidency released a statement confirming the suspension.
This is not the first time Peters has faced disciplinary action. Towards the end of 2023, she was suspended from her seat in all parliamentary debates and sittings, committee meetings, functions, and operations for the remaining months of the sixth Parliament.
During her time as transport minister in former president Jacob Zuma’s cabinet, Peters faced numerous allegations of maladministration. Some of the complaints against her include:
1. Failing to appoint a group CEO of Prasa: The Prasa board, led by Popo Molefe, discovered R14 billion in irregular expenses and launched investigations into corruption at the organization. Peters attempted to stop these investigations and decided to dismiss the board, a move that the High Court ruled as irrational, unreasonable, and unlawful.
2. Failure to investigate corruption allegations: Peters neglected to investigate various corruption allegations during her time as transport minister.
3. Misuse of Prasa buses for ANC events: Peters used Prasa buses for ANC events in 2014 and 2015 without ensuring payment from the party.
These allegations have raised concerns about Peters’ conduct and integrity while serving in a public office. The suspension by President Ramaphosa reflects the government’s commitment to upholding ethical standards and holding public officials accountable for their actions.
