WeeklySA_AdminOxymoronic: The poor represented by well-heeled MPs and Ministers
By Ali Mphaki
South Africans await the still to be published 2020 Parliament Register of Members’ Interests with bated breath.
In a year which saw, among others, a Minister of health fall by his sword for alleged corruption, voters are looking forward to have a glimpse of what assets our MPs have declared, gifts obtained, their shareholdings etc. which could indicate how much they are worth, and so on.
The register, published annually, offers voters a sneak preview of the assets and financial standings of their MPs, the people who are supposed to be representing their interests in Parliament.
This is done to ensure transparency and it is a way to instill public trust and confidence in Parliament. All members of Parliament are legally obliged to disclose their assets to be published in the Register.
Over the years though, since the Register was first introduced in 2012, there has been a growing number of late disclosures, sometimes no disclosures at all.
“A cause for concern for Parliament”, says spokesman Moloto Mothapo, commenting on the their website. Under the resolution of the House, within 28 days of making and subscribing an oath or affirmation as a Member, each Member is required to provide to the Registrar of Members’ Interests a statement of the Member’s registrable interests.
The registrable interests of which the Member is aware of the Member’s spouse and any children wholly or mainly dependent on the Member for support must also be included in the statement. The statement is to include:
• in the case of new Members, interests held at the date of the Member’s election;
• in the case of re-elected Members of the immediately preceding Parliament, interests held at the date of dissolution of that Parliament; and
A look into the previous years’ Register of Members. Interests will show that the “people” are represented by billionaires. The MPs own farms, vast amounts of land, businesses and a string of properties. Strange enough, they also have shares in companies commonly referred to as being part of the so-called and highly divisive “white monopoly capital”. Judging by their individual and collective wealth, it is inconceivable that they share the same discomfort as their struggling voters during everyday challenges like load shedding etc.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, if the 2018 register is anything to go by, is one of the richest people in South Africa. Ramaphosa, according to his declarations, owns no less than 30 townhouses mostly situated in the Johannesburg area. Four of these townhouses are in retirement villages.
Another property mogul in Parliament is DA’s Michael Bograine, who owns 15 properties.
Cope’s Terror Lekota is not far off, with eight properties which include a business site under his name. Millicent Manana of the ANC could not be left behind, as she also owns eight properties including 10 chicken houses.
The ANC’s Phumuzile Ngwenya-Mabila declared that she is still being owed about R120 000 by the Department of Public Works for transporting school children in Mpumalanga during 2007 to 2012. It is a rarity to find an MP with one property.
Of interest is that Gugile Nkwinti, the former Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, owns two farms and a small holding.
The ANC’s Godfrey Oliphant from Mpumalanga owns seven properties and two farms. There is also lots of entrepreneur MPs in Parliament, some of whom own like ANC Lemius Mashile, who is a former chairperson of the Home Affairs portfolio committee, owns a liquor store and a shopping complex. The ANC’s Dorris Dlakude is a proud owner of two farms, two houses, as well as a funeral undertaker. What will interest the reader is the directorship of some of the MPs.
For instance, former Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini is, among others, a shareholder at Allan Gray Investments. She is also a shareholder in nine other companies. When it comes to directorships, no one among the MPs can match the Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordham, who either has financial interests or shares in no less than 40 companies.
Among the companies Gordham is linked to includes Sasol, Impala Platinum Holdings, Steinhoff Internal Holdings, Woolworths, Rand Merchant Bank, Woolworths and Spar. ANC’s Jabulani Mahlangu is also a director in 10 companies and owns three houses as well as business land.
Among the MPs who received most gifts was Malusi Gigaba, the Minister of Home Affairs who is also former Minister of Public Enterprises. Among Gigaba’s declarations is a set of cuff links said to be worth R300 from Investec.
Minister in Presidency Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has also declared her financial interests or shares in M-Net, Sasol, and Sanlam.
The EFF’s Julius Malema as well as Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, show they have nothing to declare. Both Malema and Ndlozi did not declare whether they own properties or not. DA leader Musi Maimane had declared he owns two properties. Looking at the gifts received by MPs, it would seem they enjoy the finest whisky and top of the range red wines. Johnny Walker whisky and Meerlust wines are some of their favourites.
Most MPs also declared they were given tickets to the Cape Town International jazz festival as well as for the horse racing spectacle known as the Vodacom July Handicap.
