ANA reports that the National Assembly on Thursday approved a once-off gratuity of R2.1 million for former energy minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who lost her post in President Jacob Zuma's March cabinet reshuffle.  

The windfall was approved as part of the energy department's adjusted budget, and was diverted from funding earmarked for a national solar water heater project.  Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Gavin Davis objected to the payment, which had been cleared by National Treasury but needed parliamentary approval.  He said Joemat-Pettersson did not deserve a reward as the still unexplained sale of SA’s strategic oil reserves at a heavily discounted price in December 2015 happened on her watch.  He added that she should be held accountable for her actions and, to make matters worse, the money was to be deducted from a renewable energy project.

• Read this report in full at Cape Times

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