CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The African National Congress (ANC) has declared that the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) decision to remove MP Mark Burke from Parliament’s finance committees is insufficient to address the serious allegations surrounding his involvement with the fintech company Kastelo Limited. ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli emphasized that Burke’s removal does not absolve him of accountability, arguing that he cannot be entrusted with positions of political responsibility while questions regarding his conduct and a reported R4 billion fraud remain unresolved.
The DA recently announced Burke’s removal from the Committee on Finance to manage perceptions of a conflict of interest while an internal probe is underway. This follows revelations that the South African Reserve Bank is investigating Kastelo Limited, a company Burke co-founded, for alleged exchange control violations. Burke has indicated that he resigned as chairperson of the Kastelo Group two years ago and is no longer involved in its daily operations. Following his removal, DA MP Kingsley Walin has been appointed to serve in Burke’s former position.
However, Ntuli argued that the DA’s move was made under public pressure rather than out of a genuine commitment to institutional integrity. To further aid the investigation into the matter, Ntuli announced that he plans to open a criminal case against Burke in Cape Town this Friday. “You can’t defraud almost 4 billion rand and undermine exchange controls, which will definitely have a negative impact on the economy of our country, and still remain a public representative,” Ntuli stated.
Ntuli also highlighted a broader pattern of behavior within the DA, pointing to the recent “quiet and silent removal” of DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard from the joint standing committee on intelligence. According to Ntuli, this removal occurred only after the ANC insisted she be referred to the ethics committee to account for alleged violations of the oath of office she accepted as a committee member.
When questioned about whether these public criticisms could strain the relationship between the ANC and its Government of National Unity (GNU) partner, the DA, Ntuli dismissed the need for private background conversations. He asserted that all members of Parliament have sworn an oath to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, and the ANC has a duty to act in defense of the Constitution and the people, regardless of political alliances.
The ANC Chief Whip also addressed accusations that the ruling party is shielding its own president from accountability regarding the Section 89 impeachment inquiry. Ntuli clarified that the ANC’s parliamentary study group deliberately abstained from voting on the appointment of Advocate Griffiths Madonsela as the evidence leader for the impeachment committee. He explained that this abstention was intended to demonstrate objectivity, as the ANC had no intention of influencing who would question the president.
Nevertheless, Ntuli acknowledged that Advocate Madonsela had previously been hired by the ANC headquarters to provide legal advice and guidance on navigating the rules and interpretation of the impeachment process. He noted that the ANC Secretary-General had officially disclosed this relationship to the Speaker of Parliament to ensure transparency and prevent future claims of concealment.
Finally, Ntuli touched upon recent parliamentary debates concerning Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the disbanding of the political killings task team. Ntuli clarified that the contention was not about whether Mchunu was influenced by outside forces, but rather about the interpretation of his testimony. He argued that Mchunu cited a number of factors that led to his decision, rather than acceding to one specific piece of information as the primal influence for his actions.