Cape Town - Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests has released the register of members’ interests for 2022.
In terms of the code of ethical conduct and disclosure of financial interests, MPs must disclose their financial interests annually.
These interests include shares; remunerated employment outside Parliament; directorships; sponsorships and gifts and hospitality in excess of R1500, from a source other than a family member or permanent companion.
MPs are also required to declare any sponsored travel, foreign travel; ownership in land and property, including land and property outside South Africa; pensions and public contracts awarded.
The Cape Argus looked at some of South Africa’s most prominent MPs and what they declared.
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan listed shares in more than 20 businesses – as diverse as the Mr Price Group, all the major banks, Shoprite, Woolworths, Remgro, Bidvest, BAT, MTN and Aspen Pharmacare.
He also declared a bottle of wine and wine bag worth R1161.09 from the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber Denise van Huyssteen, a flat in Durban and a Political Office-Bearer’s Pension Fund pension with GEPF.
Leader of the official opposition John Steenhuisen filled in “Nothing to declare” with regard to shares, directorships and outside remuneration, but revealed that he had received eight Le Creuset mugs and four Le Creuset espresso mugs and saucers from someone called S. Ikin.
Steeinhuisen credited the Brenthurst Foundation, a Johannesburg-based think-tank established by the Oppenheimer family, as having paid for three trips abroad, to Somaliland for a seminar, to Kenya as an election observer and to Ukraine on an oversight visit.
EFF leader Julius Malema had no shares or outside remuneration to declare, but is a director of a farming/ events/sales business Mgagao Shamba (Pty) Ltd.
He also received a set of tea mugs from the Chinese Embassy, a bottle of Grandeur gin from podcaster MacG, a book by Eric Mutsipayi from the author, and a flag, scarf and beanie from Southern Cameroon.
He also declared his holdings in the Ratanang Family Trust, the Kopano Family Trust, the Mazimbu Investment Trust and the Munzhedzi Family Trust.
GOOD Party leader Patricia de Lille declared a scarf from the Turkish ambassador worth R500, two cigars, a bottle of rum and perfume together worth R2 000 from the Cuban government, and a home in Cape Town.
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za