Minister Dean Macpherson welcomes the Public Protector’s not guilty finding

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says he feels vindicated after an investigation found him not guilty of breaching the Executive Ethics Code.

The investigation stems from a complaint lodged by the EFF, which accused him of acting improperly when he contacted an Independent Development Trust (IDT) employee, urging him to address delayed payments to a company contracted by the IDT.

The EFF said MacPherson had improperly bypassed IDT governance structures and suggested possible collusion with the service provider.

But the Public Protector found that Macpherson complied with Treasury regulations regarding payment to service providers and that he acted within his role as shareholder representative of the IDT.

"The Public Protectors' report vindicates my actions to stabilise and reform the IDT so that it can fulfill its mandate of delivering social infrastructure to communities across South Africa. As I said when these complaints first emerged, I will not be deterred from restoring good governance and accountability within the Department of Public Works and its entities."