Johannesburg - Transport minister Jeff Radebe's lack of knowledge about the audit report on the bungled eNatis licensing system shows his inability to be minister of both transport and health, says the Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on transport, Stuart Farrow.
"It has once again become undeniably clear that the minister of transport, Jeff Radebe, cannot continue to run both the health and transport ministries. This is proved by Minister Radebe?s complete lack of knowledge of the audit report on eNatis released by the auditor-general in December of last year."
The report warned that eNatis posed "significant logistical and financial risks and had an 80% chance of failing."
"[This is] a warning minister Radebe could have seriously considered, had he known about it. It remains unclear how the minister could have been unaware of a report requested by his very own department.
"If the department heads in the transport ministry were aware of the risks surrounding eNatis following the report, they should have advised the minister accordingly, and should subsequently now be held accountable."
'Daily countrywide chaos'
Farrow says: "It can no longer be denied that the entire management system of the department of transport has fallen into disrepair. The eNatis system is causing daily countrywide chaos, and the minister is yet to sort out the problems affecting the R400m system. Minister Radebe clearly cannot continue to act as head of both ministries."
The chairman of the portfolio committee on transport, Jeremy Cronin, has asked that Radebe be called before the committee to explain the ongoing chaos that has marked the implementation of the eNatis system.
Cronin's action is in response to a parliamentary question posed by Farrow. "Cronin has indicated that he agrees with the DA and that he will act to call the minister to account."