The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) Carl Niehaus, a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD), has called for co-chair Malusi Gigaba to step down as he faces formal charges of corruption.
Niehaus raised the issue during a 13 February JSCD meeting, making it clear his objections are not a personal vendetta but a stand for accountability, transparency, and the sanctity of oversight institutions.
Gigaba faces formal charges of corruption linked to the Gupta brothers and the Transnet locomotive scandal — a saga of tender irregularities, kickbacks, and billions in state losses during the era of state capture, Niehaus pointed out. “Yet, astonishingly, he continues to lead oversight on national defence matters that intersect directly with similar Gupta-influenced scandals. This situation embodies a fundamental conflict of interest that is not only untenable but also an insult to the South African people.”
“By clinging to his position as co-chair, he only amplifies the glaring conflicts, draws unnecessary scrutiny to his predicament, and forces committee members like myself to repeatedly demand his recusal,” Niehaus said. “He would serve himself — and the nation — far better by stepping aside to focus on his legal defence. If he successfully clears his name and is not found guilty, he could return with legitimacy restored. But while these serious charges hang over him, and especially if convicted, he cannot credibly continue.”
“Gigaba’s charges stem from his time as Minister of Public Enterprises, where he allegedly facilitated corrupt dealings with the Gupta family, enabling them to siphon public funds through manipulated tenders at Transnet. He has historically denied or downplayed these associations, but the evidence from the Zondo Commission and ongoing court proceedings paints a damning picture of compromised integrity,” Niehaus stated.
“Now, transpose this to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, where we scrutinise entities like Denel and major procurement projects. The Guptas’ corrosive influence extended here too, particularly through VR Laser Services — a company they controlled that hijacked defence contracts. This directly impacted Project Hoefyster, the ambitious programme to modernise the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) infantry fighting vehicles with the Badger system. Initiated in 2007, Hoefyster has seen billions wasted, with zero vehicles delivered due to delays, financial mismanagement, and tender manipulations attributed to Gupta-era interference at Denel.”
Niehaus questioned how Gigaba as JSCD co-chair could oversee inquiries into issues like procurement failures, anti-corruption measures, and the fallout from state capture in defence when he stands accused of enabling similar schemes elsewhere.
The EFF representative accused the ANC of protecting Gigaba as it is reluctant to confront internal corruption, even when it erodes parliamentary credibility. Gigaba was added to a Transnet corruption case last November, announcing he would step aside from political activity within the ANC, but he did not relinquish his role as JSCD co-chairperson.
The Economic Freedom Fighters said it will ask the Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza to remove Gigaba from the JSCD. “Failure to act would perpetuate a breach of parliamentary integrity, allowing Gupta influences to linger like a toxic fog over our institutions.”
Niehaus said the matter is urgent, given the pressing defence issues the JSCD is due to discuss. On Friday 20 February, the committee will receive a briefing from the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) on armaments procurement delays, industry inefficiencies, and subpar reporting to Parliament. They will also scrutinise President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcements to withdraw the SANDF from the United Nations’ MONUSCO Peacekeeping Operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and deploy troops to the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng to combat crime.
Gigaba told The Citizen that he will not step aside from his parliamentary duties despite the concerns raised by Niehaus.
“I have stepped aside from political activities in line with internal ANC processes. The Joint Standing Committee on Defence is governed by the rules of parliament and the decisions of the house. If any member believes there is a procedural concern, there are established parliamentary mechanisms through which such matters can be raised with the presiding officers,” he said.
Theo Neethling, a political analyst from Free State University (UFS), told The Citizen if the charges against Gigaba are sufficiently serious to trigger the ANC’s step-aside rule, “then it is difficult to justify why those same charges do not disqualify him, at least politically and ethically, from leading defence oversight in parliament. Parliament cannot credibly be held to a lower ethical threshold than a political party. The defence portfolio, in particular, is no ordinary committee assignment.”
