PRETORIA, Gauteng — The African National Congress (ANC) is intensifying its call for the immediate removal of Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Mark Burke from Parliament’s finance and appropriations committees. The demand stems from severe allegations leveled by the South African Reserve Bank, which accuse Burke’s fintech company, Kastelo, of orchestrating a scheme to circumvent national exchange-control regulations.
ANC MP Cameron Dugmore, who also serves on the finance committee, argued that the legislative body cannot maintain credible oversight over the Reserve Bank while one of its own members is embroiled in such grave financial misconduct. The party contends that the situation strikes at the heart of South Africa’s financial integrity and demands immediate institutional accountability.
Grounding their demands in recent legal developments, Dugmore pointed to a court judgment delivered on the 28th of July. The Reserve Bank had previously attached funds belonging to Kastelo, where Burke serves as chairperson, over suspicions of unlawful activity. When the company challenged the attachment, the court ruled against them, imposing punitive costs. According to Dugmore, an affidavit from a Reserve Bank investigator submitted during the proceedings alleges a deliberate framework designed to bypass exchange controls, with up to four billion rand potentially involved in the scheme.
In response, the ANC Parliamentary Caucus is drafting a formal request to the Speaker of Parliament. The objective is to have the matter referred to the ethics committee for a thorough investigation, culminating in a formal finding that Burke is unfit to remain on these critical committees. Additionally, the ANC intends to push for the finance committee to summon the Reserve Bank for a status update on its ongoing probe, as well as summon Nicholas Burke, the CEO of Kastelo and Mark Burke’s brother, to testify.
The controversy only entered the public domain following a Monday report by *Business Day* deputy editor Kabelo Khumalo. Dugmore criticized the DA’s delayed response, noting that the party’s federal leader recently issued a belated defense of the MP. The ANC views this as insufficient given the severity of the allegations, and Dugmore confirmed that the party is actively exploring the possibility of laying formal criminal charges to ensure the matter is treated with the necessary legal gravity.
Dugmore contextualized the Burke situation within a wider pattern of alleged ethical lapses within the DA. He drew direct parallels to the ongoing Public Protector investigation into former DA leader Tony Leon. Dugmore alleged that Leon’s corporate engagements, including subcontracting deals with the City of Cape Town, involvement in the ShotSpotter controversy, and efforts to influence government telephony policy regarding Starlink to benefit a former client, Resolve, are indicative of state capture.
The ANC MP also highlighted emerging corruption allegations concerning land deals in Stellenbosch. Dugmore noted that DA spokesperson Jan de Villiers served as a councilor during a period when the mayor reportedly granted long-term leases to influential figures without securing the necessary council consent, a truth he claims is only now coming to light.
Addressing the dynamics of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Dugmore emphasized that coalition governance does not provide a shield against the law. He reiterated the ANC’s internal policy, which mandates that any member facing serious criminal charges must step aside.
“Whether you are in a government of unity, in opposition, a mayor, or a deputy mayor, if you conduct yourself in a way that goes against the laws of this country, steals taxpayers’ money, or abuses exchange control regulations, there have got to be consequences,” Dugmore stated. He affirmed that while individuals retain their legal rights, the rule of law and basic ethics must be enforced without fear or favor, reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law.
