By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests cleared ANC MPs Pemmy Majodina and Richard Dyantyi of accusations that they tried to solicit a bribe from suspended public protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s husband, David Skosana.
Skosana alleged that the late Tina Joemat-Pettersson tried to solicit a bribe from him on behalf of Majodina and Dyantyi to influence the outcome of the section 194 committee into the fitness of Mkhwebane to hold office.
Joemat-Pettersson’s mysterious death on June 5 left gaping holes in the investigation, and the ethics committee said on Thursday that she ceased to be an MP when she died.
Police confirmed at the time that an inquest into Joemat-Pettersson’s death had been opened.
Dyantyi chaired the committee, while Majodina is the ANC chief whip in parliament.
After receiving complaints related to the bribery allegations, the ethics committee on Thursday cleared the pair, saying the complaint against Majodina and Dyantyi was unfounded.
Its findings were based on the fact that the version of events Skosana provided to the SAPS, on which the complaint was based, do not directly mention Majodina and Dyantyi.
The recording of a conversation purported to be between Joemat-Pettersson and Skosana does not mention Majodina and Dyantyi.
Advocate Anthea Gordon, acting registrar of members’ interests said the committee did not proceed with the probe against MPs and the late Joemat-Pettersson as she passed away on the same date the complaint was filed.
The committee finalised its report on September 6.
“In relation to the complaint against Honourable Dyantyi, MP, and Honourable Majodina, MP, the Committee noted that the version of events offered by David Skosana, the South African Police Service (SAPS), which forms the basis of the complaint, does not specifically mention the two members of Parliament,” reads the letter Gordon sent to Mkhwebane’s attorneys.
The committee also said the audio recording Mkhwebane’s husband offered to the SAPS does not have the names of the two ANC MPs who were left to deal with the matter after the death of Joemat-Pettersson.
Neither the WhatsApp messages, Gordon added.
Meanwhile the National Assembly’s has delayed voting on the appointment of Kholeka Gcaleka as public protector by 10 days and will only consider a motion to remove suspended public protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office on September 11.
The assembly’s programming committee had initially called for a sitting of all 400 MPs to debate and vote on the recommendation of section 194 that Mkhwebane be removed from office, and also to consider Gcaleka’s nomination as her successor on that date.