News / National
WATCH: Mliswa calls Mpofu a thief during Portfolio Committee meeting
22 Feb 2018 at 15:18hrs | Views
Minister of Home Affairs and former Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Obert Mpofu caused commotion in Parliament today when he refused to answer questions about the alleged missing $15 billion diamond revenue.
Mpofu who was appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy refused to answer any questions on the matter as long as committee chairperson Temba Mliswa was presiding.
The Home Affairs Minister alleged that Temba Mliswa had a conflict of interest in the matter as he had visited his home and previously attacked him in public.
Said Mpofu, "I've been attacked by this chairman in the press.
"I have never seen such level of unprofessionalism, Hon Shumba was professional, Hon Chindori-Chininga was professional, I have never seen this before. I will not cooperate as long as Mliswa is chair."
Mpofu accused Mliswa of publicly accusing him of corruption hence he was not qualified to preside over the hearing.
"I have come here, I have cooperated and have been abused by you chairman. You have said so many things about me in public and I have never said anything. You have called me all sorts of names and attacked me and I kept quiet," he said.
"Yet after that, he (Mliswa) nicodemously comes to my house, in the cover of night. I live almost 600 km from here. He drives all the way to my house to come and talk about these things. And what does he say to me about these things?" he asked.
Mliswa and Mpofu had an exchange of words when Mliswa tried to explain how the committee was going to deal with Mpofu's intransigence. However, Mpofu was unmoved and told Mliswa:
"I respect Parliament but l don't respect you . I will come back when l have been invited formally. You are trying to abuse me.
"I am not coming after 2PM."
Appearing before the same parly, Core Mining and Mineral Resources director Lovemore Kurotwi accused Mpofu of demanding $10 mln bribe to licence the company to mine diamonds in Marange.
Mpofu who was appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy refused to answer any questions on the matter as long as committee chairperson Temba Mliswa was presiding.
The Home Affairs Minister alleged that Temba Mliswa had a conflict of interest in the matter as he had visited his home and previously attacked him in public.
Said Mpofu, "I've been attacked by this chairman in the press.
"I have never seen such level of unprofessionalism, Hon Shumba was professional, Hon Chindori-Chininga was professional, I have never seen this before. I will not cooperate as long as Mliswa is chair."
Mpofu accused Mliswa of publicly accusing him of corruption hence he was not qualified to preside over the hearing.
"I have come here, I have cooperated and have been abused by you chairman. You have said so many things about me in public and I have never said anything. You have called me all sorts of names and attacked me and I kept quiet," he said.
"Yet after that, he (Mliswa) nicodemously comes to my house, in the cover of night. I live almost 600 km from here. He drives all the way to my house to come and talk about these things. And what does he say to me about these things?" he asked.
Mliswa and Mpofu had an exchange of words when Mliswa tried to explain how the committee was going to deal with Mpofu's intransigence. However, Mpofu was unmoved and told Mliswa:
"I respect Parliament but l don't respect you . I will come back when l have been invited formally. You are trying to abuse me.
"I am not coming after 2PM."
Appearing before the same parly, Core Mining and Mineral Resources director Lovemore Kurotwi accused Mpofu of demanding $10 mln bribe to licence the company to mine diamonds in Marange.
Source - online
