Gaye Davis
ON November 17 the public will be able to scrutinise a special register concerning MPs’ financial interests. MPs, senators and President Nelson Mandela himself will have to detail earnings, gifts and other benefits on special forms.
This follows the adoption earlier this month of the Code of Conduct in Regard to Financial Interests. A Committee on Members’ Interests, chaired by Water Affairs Minister Kader Asmal, was set up this week to supervise the implementation of the code.
The 17-member committee consists of nine African National Congress members, two each from the Democratic Party and National Party and one from the Pan African Congress and African Christian Democratic Party.
One of their first tasks will be to encourage members to comply. “Members will have to know this is not an attempt at policing them, but an exercise in good governance,” said parliamentary official Kamal Mansura. “We will need members’ co-operation to get it off the ground.”
The committee decided two forms would be circulated to members. One would involve details to form the public part of the register, while the other would cover information that will remain confidential. Gathering information will start on September 16 with a deadline of October 16. A month later, interested members of the public will be able to learn about members’ shareholdings (market value will be confidential), outside jobs (remuneration will be confidential), directorships and partnerships (remuneration confidential), consultancies, sponsorships and other benefits (value confidential). Members will also have to disclose all gifts worth more than R350 received since May 21; details of land and property held (information about private homes will be confidential), pensions (value confidential) and foreign trips except private visits, party-paid trips and business trips unrelated to their role as MPs.
Everyone entitled to be present and take part in Parliament’s proceedings is covered by the code, which is why Mandela will be among those making a declaration. The rules also cover members’ spouses, permanent companions and children.
Only the Committee on Members’ Interests will have sight of the confidential part of the register. While the committee will be able to hear complaints behind closed doors, it has a duty to publish its findings as well as a summary of the facts. Members who contravene the code can be fined up to one month’s salary or be suspended from Parliament for 15 days.
Parliamentary official Peter Lilienfeld, who will serve as registrar until the committee appoints one, said it was possible the public register would be made available on the Internet as well as being open for scrutiny in Parliament.