Parliament’s Trade and Industry portfolio committee on Friday stopped short of censuring national consumer commissioner Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi for failing to appear before it on Friday.<\/p>\n
Mohlala-Mulaudzi informed the committee she would not be able to attend due to illness.<\/p>\n
“She made it clear she had a couple of asthma attacks yesterday and wasn’t too sure if she would arrive. I got an sms this morning before 6 am [saying] that it would not be possible [for Mohlala-Mulaudzi] to attend,” said committee chairwoman Joan Fubbs.<\/p>\n
The proposal for censure came from Democratic Alliance MP Wilmot James.<\/p>\n
Fubbs had not completely ruled out censure, but said a written explanation from Mohlala-Mulaudzi was expected.<\/p>\n
“Our concern was that when somebody gives a medical apology it’s difficult to leap over that apology,” said Fubbs.<\/p>\n
“It would be more prudent for us to have medical documents analysed, and as a result of substantive information then to consider what Mr James proposed.”<\/p>\n
The committee has been engaging the commissioner for the past two weeks over allegations of a breach of processes and procedures which have been highlighted by the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT) and the Auditor-General.<\/p>\n
The NCT accused Mohlala-Mulaudzi of attempting to usurp the powers of Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies by issuing notices of compliance in the government gazette, when she is not authorised to do so.<\/p>\n
Mohlala-Muluadzi and Davies have been involved in a labour dispute, with the commissioner losing a labour court application for her contract to be extended beyond September.<\/p>\n
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