The African National Congress Parliamentary Caucus has sparked a political firestorm by calling for the immediate removal of Democratic Alliance MP Dr Mark Burke from all finance-related parliamentary committees, following explosive allegations in a South African Reserve Bank affidavit concerning the business dealings of Kastelo, a fintech company founded by Burke. The demand, announced in a terse statement on Monday, has thrown Parliament’s finance oversight functions into the center of a bitter partisan battle.
Burke, who serves as the DA’s national spokesperson on finance and holds the influential position of federal finance chairperson within the party, sits as a full member of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and as an alternate member of the Standing Committee on Finance. These roles give him significant influence over the country’s budget processes and fiscal policy oversight, making the allegations particularly sensitive.
The ANC’s caucus spokesperson, Dr Molapo Mokoena, argued that Burke’s continued presence on these committees constitutes a conflict of interest and undermines the integrity of Parliament’s oversight work. “A member facing serious questions about financial impropriety cannot credibly sit on committees tasked with scrutinizing public finances,” Mokoena said. “We are calling for his immediate recusal and removal while the allegations are fully investigated.”
The Reserve Bank affidavit, which has not been made public but whose contents have been leaked to several media outlets, reportedly raises questions about Kastelo’s compliance with financial regulations and whether Burke’s parliamentary role may have been used to advance the company’s interests. Burke has strongly denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated.”
The DA has rallied around its embattled MP, accusing the ANC of using parliamentary procedures to settle political scores. As the standoff deepens, the Speaker’s office is expected to rule on the matter in the coming days. For now, Burke remains in his posts—but with the ANC pushing for his ejection, the battle for control over Parliament’s fiscal watchdogs is far from over.
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