Johannesburg - Tributes continue to pour in for the former minister of energy and Member of Parliament, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who died on Monday.
The news of her passing was confirmed by ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, who spoke to the SABC following her death.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved comrade, Tina Joemat-Pettersson. During her time of death, Comrade Joemat-Pettersson was an ANC MP serving as chairperson of the police study group. May her soul rest in peace," the ANC said.
Former Cabinet minister Joemat-Pettersson was the chairperson of the portfolio committee on police.
She previously served as the minister of energy from 2014 until 2017 and the minister of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries from 2009 to 2014.
The 59-year-old was also an active member of the Azanian Students Organisation between 1985 and 1986.
The circumstances that led to her death are still not clear, but speculation on social media has led many to believe that the recent Sunday Independent exposé which implicated her and two other MPs for soliciting a bribe to make suspended Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s Section 194 Parliamentary inquiry go away, has something to do with her death.
According to Independent Media, suspended Mkhwebane’s husband, Mandla Skosana, has officially handed over all the WhatsApp messages between him and Joemat-Pettersson to support his claim that three MPs including (ANC) Parliamentary Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina and chairperson of the inquiry Qubudile Dyantyi, were allegedly trying to extort a R600 000 bribe from Mkhwebane and her husband.
Last Tuesday, Joemat-Pettersson chaired the committee meeting where Police Minister Bheki Cele and his senior officials in the SAPS presented the crime statistics for the fourth quarter.
This comes after Skosana registered a case against the three MPs at OR Tambo International Airport on May 15, 2023.
"I am the public protector’s husband and make this statement as I was approached in that capacity to facilitate what I herein report as criminal conduct by a prominent politician and manipulation of a parliamentary process... The public protector is currently appearing before the National Assembly facing impeachment charges. I have supported my wife from day one of this inquiry, which started on July 11, 2022. By virtue of this support I have provided, I have been present at most sittings and visible to many members of the Section 194 committee," Skosana said in his statement.
This week, The Star was able to confirm that Skosana met Hawks investigators in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, on Friday, where he handed over all the WhatsApp messages between him and Joemat-Pettersson.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo confirmed that the elite investigating unit was now investigating the case.
"We can confirm that the Hawks received a case docket of extortion as per case 95/05/23 for further investigation. Investigating is in its infancy stage," she indicated.
The Star