Repeat offenders Nokuzola Tolash and Itumeleng Ntsube were slapped with a fine equal to 25 and 30 days respectively.
Eleven ANC members of Parliament, including two deputy ministers and league presidents, were rebuked on Tuesday in the National Assembly for failing to make their disclosure of financial interests in 2023.
Deputy minister in the Presidency Nokuzola Tolashe, who is ANC Women’s League president, Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Judith Tshabalala, ANC Youth league president Collen Malatji, Mandla Mandela, chairperson for the standing committee on intelligence Jerome Maake and others will now have their salaries docked.
Others were Phumeza Mpushe, Xolani Nkuleko Msimango, Xola Nqola, Itumeleng Ntsube, Mohatla Alfred Tseki, and Audrey Sbongile Zuma.
They blamed procrastination, family emergency, phone problems and technology issues for their failure to meet the deadline.
In its report, which was adopted without objection, the joint committee on ethics and members’ interest expressed its concern that a number of MPs did not disclose by the deadline of September 30, 2023.
“The committee stressed the point that the disclosure of registrable and financial information is the foundation for holding members of Parliament accountable on an individual basis.
“For this reason, the committee has adopted a no tolerance approach for not submitting a disclosure by the due date. The committee followed its precedent from 2022 in the harshness of the penalties it recommends to the Houses to implement,” the report said.
Co-chairperson Bekizwe Nkosi said the disclosure of registrable and financial information was crucial in holding individual MPs personally accountable.
“According to the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests, MPs must disclose their registrable interests annually at a time determined by the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests,” Nkosi said.
On Tuesday, the affected MPs were made to stand up or show their faces on the virtual platform when acting Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli administered the reprimand and penalties in the House.
Tsenoli said the reprimand was aimed at ensuring discipline was meted out fairly, transparently and consistently.
“You pledged obedience to the Constitution and obey all other laws and perform your functions to the best of your ability,” he said.
Tsenoli also said the code of ethical conduct provided values and obligated MPs to annually declare their financial interests to show the public they were not exposed to a conflict of interest.
“You members failed to disclose your financial interests for 2023 in due time. It is apparent you were provided fair opportunity and not having adequately explained your failure, your actions have potential to erode public trust in Parliament.
“This is unacceptable and deserving of serious consequences,” he said.
He said the docking of salaries of the MPs would be implemented without delays.
“I trust this reprimand sends a message to all members to live up to their obligations and ensure that they comply with the code,” Tsenoli added.
In addition to the reprimand in the House, all the MPs were slapped with fines equal to 20 days’ salary.
Repeat offenders Tolashe and Ntsube were slapped with a fine equal to 25 and 30 days respectively.
Cape Times
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