[cite news]
first=Wisani
last=wa ka Ngobeni
coauthors=Dominic Mahlangu and Dumisane Lubisi
title=A finger in all the right pies
url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/SpecialReports/Kebble/Article.aspx?id=298131
publisher=Sunday Times
date=2007-03-06
accessdate=2008-09-21] Controversies
In April 1997, Mbete was found to have received an improperly issued driver's license but not charged with any wrongdoing [ [http://www.jstor.org/stable/162005 Accountable to Themselves: Predominance in Southern Africa.] Kenneth Good. "The Journal of Modern African Studies", Vol. 35, No. 4 (Dec., 1997), pp. 547-573.] . This after investigators uncover widespread corruption in Mpumalanga regional driving license testing centers, where licenses are being issued in exchange for bribes [cite web
url=http://www.globalintegrity.org/reports/2006/SOUTH%20AFRICA/timeline.cfm
title=Global Integrity - South Africa Timeline
publisher=Global Integrity] . Mbete said that she had been "too busy" to stand in queues. [cite news
first=Michael
last=Wines
title=Driven insane in South Africa
url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/29/america/journal.php?page=2
publisher=International Herald Tribune
date=2007-10-29
accessdate=2008-09-21]
In 2007, Mbete suspended DA member Mike Waters after he attempted to ask what was being done about the Manto Tshabalala-Msimang scandal [cite web
url=http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_2178504,00.html
title=DA MP suspended
date=2007-09-07
accessdate=2008-09-21] . Waters had asked about a reported conviction for theft of the Minister of Health, while the latter had been a nurse in Botswana.
Mbete was one of more than 200 South African parliamentarians found to have misused subsidised travel privileges in the "Travelgate" scandal. She is reported to have paid back all moneys due in the liquidation of the travel agency former providing services to parliament.
In 2006, Mbete chartered a jet at a cost of R471 900 (around US$60 000) to fly to Liberia for the inauguration of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as president. The only other passenger on the plane was a member of her staff. Then president Thabo Mbeki and foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also travelled to the inauguration - Mbeki in his private plane and Dlamini-Zuma by commercial flight. [cite news
first=Nic
last=Dawes
title=Now the speaker joins the jet set
url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2006-03-24-now-the-speaker-joins-jet-set
publisher=Mail & Guardian
date=2006-03-24
accessdate=2008-09-21]
She has been a staunch supporter of Tony Yengeni, a former ANC Chief Whip in parliament, who was convicted of defrauding parliament in 2004, even accompanying Yengeni to Pollsmoor Prison when he reported to serve his sentence [cite news
first=André
last=Jurgens
coauthors=Ndivhuho Mafela and Philani Nombembe
title=Jailed Yengeni shows no remorse
url=http://www.thetimes.co.za/SpecialReports/Yengeni/Article.aspx?id=298749
publisher=The Times
date=2006-08-27
accessdate=2008-09-21] .
Deputy President
On 20 September, 2008, the African National Congress formally asked President Thabo Mbeki to resign as President of South Africa. Mbete accepted Mbeki's resignation on 21 September.
Before 22 September, Mbete was speculated to succeed Mbeki as President, which would have made her the first female head of state in South Africa's history; however, the ANC announced that Kgalema Motlanthe, the Deputy President of the ANC, would assume that position. On 23 September, Mbete was announced by the SABC to be the most likely candidate for Deputy President of South Africa following Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka's resignation from the position, [ [http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/government/0,2172,177271,00.html "Mbete to be appointed interim deputy president"] ] even though other reports had stated that Lindiwe Sisulu would assume that position.
On 25 September, she was appointed by Motlanthe as Deputy President. [ [http://allafrica.com/stories/200809250958.html "South Africa: New President Removes Health Minister"] , allAfrica.com, 25 September, 2008.]
References
