Paul Mashatile addresses declaration controversy, denies having ‘smallanyana skeletons’

Deputy President Paul Mashatile said on Thursday he does not have “smallanyana skeletons” to share with the country on his declaration of financial interests to Parliament.

Responding during a heated question-and-answer session in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Mashatile said his failure to declare a gift by diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg to his wife has been brought to conclusion.

“I don't know what I need to share with the country,” he said.

“Everybody knows where I live. I don't have smallanyana skeletons that I have to share with anybody,” he said.

He was responding to EFF MP Virgill Gericke when he stated that Mashatile's declaration of interests was somewhat confusing and sparked a lot of debate and speculation even in the media.

“You have attempted to clear the air deputy president. The question is, does it bring the issue to an end or is there still something that you need to share with the country in this regard?” Gericke asked.

In response, Mashatile said his life was transparent and he had even made a declaration of where he lived and how the house was owned.

“I didn't say it for the first time. I said it last year. I still live where I was living last year. So my declaration could not have changed.”

Mashatile said a journalist wrote a story that was now being followed up that in his declaration he owned a house he did not own.

“I mean, how foolish can I be? Ownership of property is something that is on record. You can go to the registrar of properties, you'll find which properties I own,” he said in reference to a Cape Town property that is among the three he disclosed in his declaration of financial interests.

“If I own it, there will be a record that shows I'm the owner of that property,” he said.  “An honourable member knows the truth, but they listen to journalists who work with them to come and ask us questions here that are funny. There is nothing I wish to further disclose,” he said.

Mashatile’s outburst came during a fiery session when MK Party Mmabatho Mokoena quizzed him on whether he accepted his lapse in transparency in the declaration of assets and disclosure of interests, inevitably weakened confidence in his office and risked loss of public trust.

In July, the Ethics Committee recommended to the National Assembly that Mashatile should be reprimanded and fined R10 000 for failing to declare a diamond gift from Liebenberg to his wife in the confidential part of his financial and registrable interests register.

Mashatile had told the Ethics Committee that he was waiting for the appraisal of the diamond to determine its value before making the declaration and that he had surrendered the gift to the National Prosecuting Authority.

On Thursday, Mashatile said he accepted that the Ethics Committee did not uphold his submission on the matter.

“As a disciplined Member of Parliament, who respects the rule of law and the integrity of this institution, I have decided to comply with the decision, and the funds will be deducted from my salary,” he said.

Mokoena asked in a follow up question, if the deputy president could explain how he afforded the R7.5 million property in Cape Town.

“It is not a secret how much the deputy president earns monthly or yearly. It is public knowledge.  We would like to know if he is willing to disclose how he was able to procure a house for R7.5 million?” asked Mokoena.

NCOP chairperson Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane deemed Mokoena's follow up question as a new question and it was up to Mashatile if he wanted to respond.

After Mokoena raised a point of order, Mtsweni-Tsipane used her powers to block Mashatile from answering.

“If you want to ask the deputy president that question, you may do so in the next set of questions, in the next round,” she said.

In May, Mashatile told the NCOP that he will not disclose his financial interest publicly outside what is provided for by Parliament.

He had said that an official in his office would ensure that the registrar kept for declarable interest was updated every year.

Cape Times