Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests has reprimanded nine MPs — including minister in the presidency Maropene Ramokgopa. Photo: Supplied.
Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests has reprimanded nine MPs — including minister in the presidency Maropene Ramokgopa — for failing to declare their financial and registrable interests by 14 October 2024, as required, and imposed fines on them ranging from R10 000 to R12 500.
Besides Ramokgopa, who is responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation, the list of offenders includes uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, deputy minister of public works and infrastructure Sihle Zikalala, deputy transport minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa and the Andries Nel, the deputy minister of justice and constitutional development.
In a statement, the committee said it was “committed to ensuring accountability of all members of parliament, as the disclosure process facilitates in building the public’s trust in parliament”.
Item 12(4) of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests prescribes that, after a general election, MPs must disclose their registrable interests within 60 working days of the opening of parliament. If a member has no registrable interests, a “nil” return must be submitted.
In a letter sent to the speaker of the National Assembly, Nel indicated his intention to approach the courts to review the decision of the committee, saying he had not received any correspondence from the office of the registrar of members’ interests conveying a deadline for submission of the disclosures. He said he had submitted his disclosure on 24 October 2024.
The committee rejected the justification he proffered and fined him R10 000.
Ndhlela said his failure to submit the disclosure was due to the fact that his role as spokesperson of the MK party was “demanding”. When he became aware of the deadline, he tried to attend to the matter but struggled with his password because it had been changed by the IT division, he said. The committee rejected his excuse and fined Ndhlela R10 000.
According to the report, Ramokgopa submitted her disclosure of interests seven days after the deadline, without providing any reason. Zikalala also submitted his disclosure seven days late, saying his failure to do so on time was an “oversight”.
The committee said the reasons given by the MPs were not factors that it could consider for a lesser penalty.
