By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has published the register of members’ interests for 2022.
The register is published to ensure transparency and to instil public trust and confidence in parliament, with members required to declare significant holdings in businesses, shares owned, as well as gifts received.
Notably, the register only includes declarations from Members of Parliament, which means President Cyril Ramaphosa is not required to declare his interests (as he is not an MP). The document also precludes the two cabinet ministers that the president can appoint who are not MPs.
For 2022, this was Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana and Trade and Industry Minister Ibrahim Patel. Godongwana has subsequently been sworn in as an MP, so his declarations should be included in the 2023 register.
There have also been several changes to ministries in 2023 following Ramaphosa’s cabinet reshuffle in March. Some members in the 2022 register are no longer MPs, but their declarations still stand.
The current deputy president, Paul Mashatile, was also appointed in March 2023, long after the 2022 register was compiled. Like Godongwana and other new MPs, his declarations will be included in the 2023 register.
Julius Malema
Business
- Directorship of Mgagao Shamba, in farming, events and sales
Property
- Nothing to disclose
Gifts
- Set of tea mugs, from the Chinese Embassy in South Africa
- Gin: Grandeur Gin, from Mac G
- Book: The Next Minute by Eric Mutsipayi, from the author
- Book: Undercover with Mandela’s Spies, from Janet Smith
- Book: Julius Nyerere’s Philosophy of Human Dignity by Innocent Sanga, from Godrich Gardee
- Book: Land Reform by Matome Chidi, from the Black Lawyers Association
- Statue of an eagle and a raven, from the Black Lawyers Association
- Shirt, from Godrich Gardee
- Flag, scarf and beanie from Southern Cameroon
John Steenhuisen
Business
- Nothing to disclose
Property
- Nothing to disclose
Gifts
- Le Creuset Mugs, Espresso Mugs and Saucers from S. Ikin
- Lunch at Fyn Restaurant, from the Taiwan Liaison Office
- Rugby Sevens World Cup Tickets, from Cape Town mayor, Goerdin Hill-Lewis
- Running Shoes, from Under Armour
- Shoes, shorts and shirts, from Veldskoen
- Clothing and Oakley sunglasses, from Gerber and Co.
- Travel to Somalia, Kenya and the “fact-finding mission” to Ukraine were sponsored by the Brenthurst Foundation.
Gwede Mantashe
Business
- Nothing to disclose
Property
- 300 square metre residential property in Boksburg
Pensions
- ANC (Sanlam)
- NUM (Old Mutual)
Gifts
- Picture of Minister and Lana J Marles, from the US Ambassador
- Book: The Economy on Your Doorstep by Ayabonga Cawe, from the author
- Plank chair, from the Minister of Minerals in Botswana
- Noble Russian Vodka, from the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to SA
- Luggage bag, from the Africa Energy Chamber
- Japanese Whiskey from the Embassy of Japan
- Art drawing, from the Minister of Minerals in Botswana
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola received a hand-made wall watch from an inmate incarcerated at a prison in Kimberley, in the Northern Cape.
He also received two books from the Chinese government, a wall-painted picture from the attorney-general of Bangladesh, and a “symbolic elephant” from the minister of justice and prison reforms in Sri Lanka.
Lamola also received a bottle of wine and two bottles of Glenfiddich whisky from Chinese multinational technology giant Huawei.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni received a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Watch Active from the board management at Telkom. At R35 000, the devices are worth a bit more than tea bags.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga received several gifts from schools, as well as perfume from Qatar’s ambassador and Chinese tea from the Chinese ambassador.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande received sheep to the value of R5 000 from a traditional leader in Mpumalanga.
While “nothing to disclose” crops up more often than not in the register, some MPs provide a lot of detail on their financial interests. One such MP is Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, who provided a detailed breakdown of his various shareholdings with JSE-listed companies.
According to the minister’s declarations, when the interests were registered, he held just under R4 million in shares across various groups.
The interests range from shares valued at R550, to holdings of R453,900 in Absa Bank.
Other ministers did declare shareholding in some companies, but did not provide further detail on the amount or nominal value.
Here is the full list of the 2022 Register of Members’ Interests.