'Oilgate' questions unanswered - DA

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka\'s appointment as deputy president has drawn a broadly positive reaction from civil society, politicians and the business sector. Among those who remained mum, however, was the man she replaced, Jacob Zuma.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's appointment as deputy president has drawn a broadly positive reaction from civil society, politicians and the business sector.

Among those who remained mum, however, was the man she replaced, Jacob Zuma.

The ANC described the president's confidence in Mlambo-Ngcuka as "well founded".

She had "extensive experience of the needs, problems and interests of the masses of this country and this will undoubtedly stand her in good stead to undertake the tasks of this new responsibility", the party said.

The ANC also congratulated Lindiwe Hendricks, who succeeds Phumzile-Mlambo Ngcuka as minerals and energy minister, and the new deputy ministers of trade and industry, Elizabeth Thabethe and Rob Davies.

The South African Chamber of Business welcomed Mlambo-Ngcuka's appointment.

Some economists said the rand had improved slightly after the president's announcement.

Azapo's Pandelani Nefolovhodwe said Mlambo-Ngcuka was a suitable candidate for the post of deputy president "because she knows what needs to be done to improve the lives of people in this country".

Azapo held Mlambo-Ngcuka in high esteem, especially for pioneering legislation such as the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, which aimed to redress the imbalances of the past.

Sipho Mfundisi, a United Christian Democratic Party MP, said Mlambo-Ngcuka was one of the few ministers who were accountable.

"She's never been arrogant, she's always humble and, invariably, her budgets were voted without questions."

The IFP, ID and Minority Front also supported the appointment. But there were some critics.

"The appointment... undermines the good work President Thabo Mbeki did last week when he took the very difficult decision to dismiss Jacob Zuma," said DA leader Tony Leon.

Leon said there were a number of unanswered questions about Mlambo-Ngcuka, such as those relating to the "Oilgate" scandal involving the parastatal, PetroSA, which is accountable to the minerals and energy ministry she headed.

PetroSA allegedly gave R15 million to an ANC-aligned company, Imvume Management to buy oil, but instead of using the money to pay its international oil suppliers, Imvume allegedly diverted R11m to the ANC.

Leon also alleged that Mlambo-Ngcuka's brother, Bongani Mlambo, received about R50 000 from Imvume.

His party's other concern was that Mlambo-Ngcuka was the wife of former national director of public prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, who found in 2003 that there was a prima facie case of corruption against Zuma, but did not charge him.

"That Zuma has been replaced by Mlambo-Ngcuka because of this same corruption case gives the impression that Ngcuka and the president might have had an agenda outside of strictly legal concerns," said Leon.

The Freedom Front Plus, which has lodged a complaint with the public protector over Oilgate, said it was concerned that a "negative finding on these issues could again cast a shadow over the office of the deputy president".

With acknowledgements to Thokozani Mtshali and the Cape Times.