Five MPs from three political parties erred on the side of caution and declared travel paid by Parliament, according to the 2004 Register of Members’ Interests. Such official trips are not required to be disclosed.
Among the gifts and benefits over R350, which have to be disclosed, logged in the register are discounts on cars, spectacles and fabrics, a R20 000 interest-free loan, gifts of cellphones, wine and whiskey, some sheep and cows, complimentary concert tickets, and scented bath salts and soaps.
But nothing could beat the gift of a R1,6-million home and car worth R320 000 made to African National Congress MP Andrew Mlangeni, in his capacity as Matodzi Resources non-executive chairperson. The giver? Mining magnate Brett Kebble, whose JCI mining stable owns Matodzi.
ANC chief whip and former minerals and energy committee chairperson Mbulelo Goniwe was wined and dined by Anglo American, De Beers, the Chamber of Mines and petroleum companies BP, Shell and Total.
Former intelligence minister Lin-diwe Sisulu received a CD from her Cuban counterparts and “two mosquito and fly repellents” from a “Mr B Maseko” of the Airports Company of South Africa. The same gentleman gave her Cabinet colleague Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi a basket of dried fruit and biltong.
Each year MPs must also disclose shares, sponsorships, company directorships, consultancies, remuneration earned outside Parliament and property. The register shows that a host of MPs dabble in the business world. Directorships in mining, construction and investment companies appear to be most popular.
ANC MP JP Gerber is the property baron of Parliament: scores of erven and plots are listed in his declaration, including 24 erven in Armoed (which translates as poverty”).
Danny Olifant, the ANC MP linked to one of the travel agencies implicated in the “travelgate” scam, declared his interests in the Atlantis Forge. But a computer search of the company register indicates Olifant also has other directorships, where he was still listed as “active” on Wednesday afternoon. He did not disclose interests in GKBK Investments, H Investments 231 and Adept Centre.
Some MPs double up in local government. ANC member of the public accounts committee, Bruce Kannemeyer, chairs the audit committees of the Boland and Drakenstein municipalities while National Council of Provinces ANC MP Zolile Kolweni sits on the Klerksdorp city council evaluation board.
Additional reporting by Wisani wa ka Ngobeni