Van Rooyen’s academic work under scrutiny
'In 2014 and 2015 two of my colleagues … assisted Des van Rooyen with academic assignments. Both told me this in person'
President Jacob Zuma’s "most qualified" minister, Desmond van Rooyen, allegedly obtained assistance from Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) staff with his academic work. The allegation was made by a former PBO staff member in a submission to former public protector Thuli Madonsela during her investigation of state capture. The allegation is also part of evidence at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where the staff member has lodged a claim against his employer, alleging he was overlooked for promotion after he refused to do academic work for MPs. In the letter, seen by Business Day, it is alleged that two PBO staff members assisted Van Rooyen while he was the whip of the standing committee on finance. The staff members allegedly wrote his assignments while he was studying. The letter does not reveal what he was studying towards or at which institution. "In 2014 and 2015 two of my colleagues … assisted Des van Rooyen with academic assignments. Both tol...
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