Cape Argus E-dition

MPs to be reprimanded and have salaries docked

MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

FORMER mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane and EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo are among eight MPs who will be reprimanded or have their salaries docked for declaring their interests after the November 2020 deadline.

This after the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests found some MPs did not make declarations on time and submitted their forms late.

Co-chairpersons Bekizwe Simon Nkosi and Moji Lydia Moshodi said the co-chairperson of the joint standing committee on financial management of Parliament Bertha Mabe, and, ANC MPs Ethel Nkosi, Itumuleng Ntsube, Moloko Tlou and Bufeze Yabo, did not submit their disclosure of interest forms timeously.

In a report, Nkosi and Moshodi also said Zwane, Pambo and ANC MP Mncedisi Nontsele submitted their forms after the deadline.

The report said Zwane submitted his form in July 2021.

Zwane, did not provide written reasons for the late disclosure other than representations on the penalty to be imposed. “The member apologised and indicated that it was because he did not have access to his emails on both his work personal computer and his mobile phone,” Nkosi and Moshodi said in the report.

They recommended Zwane be reprimanded in the House and receive a fine not exceeding the value of two days of his salary.

The report said Mabe, who is a former member of the committee, only submitted her form nine months after the deadline.

“The member apologised as there was a breakdown in e-mail communications. Her email box seemed to not be getting messages or communicating certain messages. The member requested that the joint committee be lenient in applying a penalty as she is a first offender.”

They recommended Mabe be reprimanded like Zwane.

The report said Nkosi made her disclosure of interest in August this year.

“The member apologised and indicated that her mental and physical health was failing her as she was dealing with Covid-19 related deaths of people who were very close and dear to her. These people were instrumental in her upbringing,” reads the report.

The committee recommended that she too be reprimanded and have two days of her salary docked.

In their report, Nkosi and Moshodi said Ntsube submitted his form in June 2021 and blamed the high-risk pregnancy of his wife, who gave birth on November 23, 2020, for his failure to not meet the deadline.

“He submitted the birth certificate with no other certificates to certify his wife’s high-risk pregnancy.”

Nkosi and Moshodi noted that Ntsube had also submitted his disclosure form late the year before.

“It is recommended that the House fine the member a value of five days’ salary for not initially submitting the public disclosure form for 2020, and for being in breach of the code a second time,” they said, adding that he should also be reprimanded in the House .

Both Yabo and Tlou will be reprimanded and have two days of their salaries docked.

The report said Pambo, who submitted three weeks after the deadline, claimed he was in and out of medical care due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The member “did not provide any documentary evidence” tothat effect.

Nontsele, who submitted his form six days after the deadline, claimed to have done so via the office of the chief whip Pemmy Majodina earlier that month. The committee recommended Pambo and Nontsele be only reprimanded.

METRO

en-za

2021-11-30T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-30T08:00:00.0000000Z

http://capeargus.pressreader.com/article/281616718644397

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