According to the register issued by the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests — which details the interest of all members of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces — the minister has a 620 square metre property in Newlands but it is occupied by his former wife.
Manuel did declare a variety of gifts and hospitality, including Nokia 7650 phones from both Cell C and MTN (the former being a Christmas present), membership of the Durban and Pretoria country clubs, two nights at the Palace Hotel, Sun City, provided by Southern Sun hotels, and two tickets to the World Cup Cricket opening game.
Deputy President Jacob Zuma declares nothing under the shares and other financial interests section or any remuneration outside of parliament. He declared land and dwellings “under permission to occupy” in the Nhlola area, Nxamalala Tribal Authority, Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal — the subject of much public attention after allegedly receiving monies through his financial adviser Shabir Shaik to pay off loans.
Zuma declared the property interest in a letter to the registrar in March this year, but it is repeated in the September publication of the register. The deputy president also declared a variety of gifts and hospitality including books, one sheep from the Mahlabathini community, an Acer laptop computer and Cannon printer from Sri Chinmoy Centre for Peace, a birthday party from Erwin Ulbricht and a Cuban shirt from the Cuban embassy.
National Assembly Speaker Frene Ginwala said last week that she had referred information about Zuma from the national prosecuting authority to the joint committee.
The committee met on Wednesday morning behind closed doors. Although her statement did not spell the matter out, the Scorpions investigation unit opted not to prosecute Zuma for alleged corruption involving the multibillion-rand arms deal. The beleaguered deputy president stands accused of failing to declare loans received from Shaik and Durban businessman Vivian Reddy in the register.
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who earlier this year had to forgo a week’s salary for not fully disclosing his interests, details a long list of gifts and hospitality, including a cellphone and accessories from MTN. He also provides a long list of gifts from the chief of staff, Qatar, with a total value of R2 000.
He does declare his shares and other financial interests of about R280,000 — including R250 000 in First Trade CC and BZL Petroleum valued at just R5 and R30 000 rand worth of unit trusts in Old Mutual.
Lekota also declared houses in Bloemfontein and in Westville, a plot at Jacobsdal and business premises at Orange Farm.
The joint committee earlier this year found that Lekota had been negligent in making incomplete disclosures of his interests — including in oil and wine businesses — and recommended that Ginwala issue a written reprimand to Lekota and he be fined one week’s salary. This was done and translated into a fine of just over R11 000. — I-Net Bridge