Barry Streek
South African MPs are not a particularly interesting bunch of people, judging from the latest register of interests released in Parliament.
They are, however, extremely well lubricated by liquor companies. Unfortunately for the investigators probing the arms deal, none of them have declared gifts from arms contractors.
The MPs are obliged to declare all gifts in terms of Parliament’s “code of conduct in regard to financial interests” as well as other forms of income and their assets, apart from the salaries and allowances as MPs.
Although many of the MPs have declared gifts they have received over the past year, the register does not reveal all that much about the worth of their financial assets. Shares owned by the MPs are, for instance, given only at nominal value and while most of the MPs have declared ownership of property they are not required to provide its estimated value.
Nor do they have to disclose the value of any pensions in the public part of the Register of Members’ Interests.
The majority of MPs said they had “nothing to disclose” in regard to remunerated employment outside Parliament, directorships and partnerships, consultancies or retainerships, sponsorships, benefits and travel.
But Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota did declare his membership of the boards of two wine estates Stellenbosch and Jacobsdal and his membership of the board of the Bloemfontein Celtic professional soccer club.
Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon declared a four-day visit to High Rustenburg Health Hydro, which he said was worth about R3 000, as a gift. His visit to the Sabi-Sand Game Reserve, donated by SG Frankel Pollack, was another declared gift.
African National Congress Women’s League president Winnie Madikizela-Mandela reported that she had no shares and other financial interests, she received no paid employment outside Parliament and she had no directorships, partnerships, consultancies or retainerships, but she said she did own a 1?400m2 property in Orlando West Extension in Soweto. She disclosed she had been given a friendship tour of China, sponsored by BF Tsingtao, but she did not disclose a value.
Minister of Home Affairs and Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi declared 37?500 ordinary shares in MIB Aidel with a nominal value of R82?000, unit trusts in Sanlam with a nominal value of R21?000, 1 648,22 shares in an Old Mutual Investor Fund with a nominal value of R71?000, and 1?517m2 of undeveloped land at KwaSishwili.
He also declared his remuneration, without revealing any amount, as chair of the Buthelezi Tribal Authority and his pension in the KwaZulu Legislative Assembly and Office Bearers’ Fund.
But he did not disclose his private mansion in Ulundi where KwaZulu-Natal’s Department of Public Works reportedly spends thousands of rands every month on landscaping and maintenance of household items. Nor did he mention that the department pays at least 20 private security personnel guarding his house at Mahlabathini both matters raised recently in the provincial public works portfolio committee by the DA’s Belinda Scott.
After the Mail & Guardian reported last year that Buthelezi had banked more than R1-million in cash at the First National Bank branch in Ulundi after he had counted out the money from more than R2-million in plastic bags, his IFP ministerial colleague Ben Ngubane wrote that “Buthelezi farms cattle, which usually results in cash transactions” but there is nothing in his declaration to reflect this.
Minister of Education Kader Asmal declared a box of brandy, valued at about R350 and donated by the Brandy Foundation of South Africa, and an elephant statue, also at about R350, which was donated to him by the Institute for Chartered Accountants.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Lindiwe Hendricks declared a Christmas present from South African Breweries “family liquor”, worth R500 while Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry Ronnie Kasrils got R700 worth of Highland Park malt whisky from the Scottish Water Authority.
Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel declared “1 bottle red wine”, worth “under R350” from Sekunjalo as well as a shirt (R450), a tie (R350) and a watch (R1?200) from Polo Clothing.
Minister of Provincial and Local Affairs Sydney Mufamadi declared “two sheep and one goat”, worth R900 from Buthelezi.
United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa got “two ties and one suit” from a clothing designer from abroad, as well as World Cup tickets for the semifinal and final matches, which he said were worth about R350, from a South African Rugby Football Union official.
ANC MP Pallo Jordan declared “12 x 1 crayfish tails” from Ahmed Suleiman.
The Freedom Alliance’s Louis Luyt, who officially quit as an MP this week, said he only owned one share, with a nominal value of R1, in Nedcor, but declared he received director’s fees from the Ellis Park Stadium (Pty) Ltd and trustee fees from the Golden Lion Sports Trust. He said he did not own land or property.