Deputy President Paul Mashatile has confirmed that the Ethics Committee is investigating corruption allegations against him.
This follows a complaint by the official opposition to the Ethics Committee.
This was after reports emerged that Mashatile was allegedly involved in multi-million rand corruption scandals, including houses in Cape Town and Johannesburg worth millions of rands.
Mashatile told Parliament on Thursday that the Ethics Committee has given him seven days to respond to the allegations of corruption.
He said he will provide his response to the committee next week.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) lodged a complaint to the Ethics Committee a few weeks ago on the allegations.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube asked Mashatile to come clean on Thursday, during a question and answer session in Parliament.
“I was going to say acting Speaker, so that honourable Gwarube does not think we are running away, I have received questions from the Ethics Committee after she complained to Parliament and I will be responding to those questions. Perhaps, Gwarube can wait for that moment. They have given me seven days to clarify those issues. Those responses will definitely come to Parliament next week and Gwarube will be free to see those responses,” said Mashatile.
The response by Mashatile came after members of the African National Congress (ANC) tried to block the question.
ANC whip Bheki Radebe said Gwarube was circumventing the rules by asking the question directly, as it was not directly linked to the main question.
Gwarube said she was not trying to besmirch Mashatile. All she wanted was for him to come clean on the allegations.
She said Mashatile must take the country into his confidence about the allegations.
She added that Mashatile must shed light on the allegations, as they have been hanging over his head for a long time.
Mashatile said Gwarube will get an opportunity next week when the matter is brought before the Ethics Committee.
The committee will be getting his response on the list of questions it sent to him.
Politics