• Submitted by: manso
• International
• 09 / 13 / 2011

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September 12 2011 at 09:38pm. REUTERS. President Jacob Zuma has been asked to reconsider a reported decision to appoint Limpopo's former health MEC Mirriam Segabutla as ambassador to Cuba.

The Democratic Alliance request came in the wake of allegations that Segabutla had allocated tenders worth R16 million to her friends.

“I wish to present to His Excellency a humble request to have the appointment of Ms Segabutla as ambassador to Cuba to be reconsidered,” Limpopo DA leader Desiree van der Walt said in a letter to the presidency on Monday.

Van der Walt said her main reason for the request was that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was probing claims that Segabutla awarded two tenders worth R16m to friends.

Segabutla's performance as health and social MEC had also been so wanting that it had led to her “eventual removal by the provincial government”.

“All these factors cumulatively point to a person who has inadequate leadership and administrative abilities to lead a provincial department,” Van der Walt said.

Madonsela's spokeswoman Kgalalelo Msibi confirmed the investigations.

She said the report on Madonsela's findings on the allegations was expected to be completed by the end of September.

No confirmation on Segabutla's appointment as ambassador to Cuba could be obtained from the presidency or the department.

Segabutla could not be reached for comment, but was quoted previously as denying the allegations.

The Mail and Guardian reported last week that she was among several ANC officials being trained as ambassadors. -

Sapa

Source: www.iol.co.za/news/world/zuma-urged-to-rethink-cuban-envoy-1.1135936