Cape Town - Former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane faces the prospect of being suspended for a parliamentary term after the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests made a finding against him.
The committee found that Zwane contravened the code of ethical conduct and disclosure of members’ interests.
It has recommended Zwane’s suspension to the National Assembly, which must approve it for the suspension to be effective.
The matter stems from a complaint lodged in 2017 by DA MP James Lorimer and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) for the breach of the MPs’ code when he was still a minister.
Co-chairpersons Bekizwe Nkosi and Lydia Moshodi said when the two complaints were considered, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had forwarded the Zondo Commission report that covered the same topics in the complaints lodged by Outa and Lorimer.
“The three matters were then processed together by the committee,” Nkosi and Moshodi said.
The allegations were:
* He travelled on board a private Bombardier jet ZS-OAK from Zurich to Dubai in the company of Tony Gupta and Salim Essa on December 2, 2015 and spent two days in India with the “Guptas” before flying back to Joburg.
* During the stay in Dubai, he was booked into the five-star Oberoi hotel which was paid for by Sahara Computers, a company which was owned by the Guptas, and that he was also chauffeur-driven in a BMW 7 series at the expense of Sahara Computers.
* Zwane misled Parliament when he lied in response to questions posed by various MPS.
* He was conflicted when he appointed K Moodley as his special adviser and Malcom Mabaso as his personal adviser because Moodley’s company made a R10 million payment to Tegeta towards the purchase of the Optimum Coal Mine and Mabaso was a business associate of Essa and a director of Premium Security Cleaning.
* Zwane’s continuous absenteeism from the portfolio committee on mineral resources during the period of 2017 to 2018 frustrated the work of the portfolio committee to hold an inquiry into his alleged unlawful conduct.
* He abused his role on the inter-ministerial committee by issuing a press statement on September 1, 2016 about the Cabinet meeting and the work of the task team that engaged banks that indicated they were closing the Gupta bank accounts.
Nkosi and Moshodi said Zwane had received benefits and hospitality that was not disclosed.
“The member did not provide any documentary evidence to confirm that the travel, hotel stay and being chauffeur-driven in a 7-series BMW was not paid for by the Guptas. The member did not provide documentary evidence to confirm that he paid for the travel, hotel stay and chauffeur drive.”
They also said Zwane abused his role on the inter-ministerial committee.
“The member does not deny issuing the press statement that brought the executive and Parliament into disrepute.”
Nkosi and Moshodi said the former minister did not act with the public trust placed in him.
The committee made no finding that Zwane was appointed at the behest of the Guptas, but he appointed business allies of the Guptas as his advisers.
“In this regard the member failed to act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in him and failed to maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliament and thereby engender the respect and confidence that society needs to have in Parliament as a representative institution.”
The committee recommended the following:
•Docking his salary for five days for not disclosing the benefits and hospitality he received.
• Zwane must enter an apology to the House for abusing his role on the inter-ministerial committee for issuing a press statement on the closure of Gupta bank accounts and appointing advisers who were business partners to the Guptas.
• His suspension from his seat in parliamentary debates for one parliamentary term for participating in the negotiations of the sale of Optimum Coal Mine and approving the sale.
Zwane could not be reached for comment.
Cape Times