EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu failed in his bid to stop Parliament from considering the report of the ethics and members’ interest committee that found him guilty of breaching the code for Members of Parliament. Picture: Timothy Bernard /Independent Newspapers
EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu on Tuesday failed in his bid to stop Parliament from considering the report of the ethics and members’ interest committee that found him guilty of breaching the code for Members of Parliament.
The same applied to former transport minister Dipuo Peters when she, too, wanted her report not to be considered.
Shivambu and Peters were among seven MPs that were found to have breached the code in October.
National Assembly Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula said she received a letter from Shivambu asking that the complaint against him be removed from the order paper because it was before a court.
“A similar letter was received from his lawyers, asking for the matter to be referred back to the committee for proper investigation,” she said.
Mapisa-Nqakula said she had also received a letter from the legal representative of Peters, demanding the complaint against her not be considered on Tuesday.
“I would like to state that these matters were agreed for programming by the National Assembly programme committee.
“In any event, there is no legal impediment currently to these matters being considered before the House today and we will therefore continue with business as it appears on the order paper,” she said.
When the reports dealing with complaints against Peters and Shivambu were tabled, only the EFF made an objection.
Mapisa-Nqakula said since the ethics committee found Shivambu failed to comply with requirements of the provisions of disclosure of financial interest that a penalty of reduction of nine days salary be imposed.
Shivambu’s woes emanate from a complaint that he did not disclose R180 000 paid to him by Sgameka in 2017.
Mapisa-Nqakula also said the ethics committee found Peters had breached the code in three instances when she failed to act in accordance to the public trust placed in her and discharge her obligations in terms of the constitution.
She said Peters would be suspended from parliamentary debates, sittings, committee meetings and functions for one term.
“The House will be informed of the implementation date of the sanction,” Mapisa-Nqakula said of when the sanctions will be applied on both.
She said Police Minister Bheki Cele would tender an apology to the House for his conduct towards non-profit organisation director Ian Cameron when he shouted “shut up” at him during a crime imbizo in Gugulethu.
“I am informed that the Honourable Cele is on official business out of the country so the Honourable Cele will be called upon to enter his apology in due course.”
Regarding ANC MP Nomsa Kubheka, Mapisa-Nqakula said she would appear physically before the House for a reprimand for failing to disclose her financial interests in 2022.
Kubheka was among the three MPs that did not disclose, along with former colleagues James Tyotyo and Sibusiso Kula, who are no longer MPs.
Since Kubheka was not in the House physically, she was meant to appear on the virtual platform.
“The reprimand in this House is a public act at ensuring discipline is meted out fairly and transparently and applied consistently,” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
Kubheka claimed that her screen did not want to open and apologised.
But Mapisa-Nqakula would hear none of it. “You did not say you will be on a virtual platform and your system will not allow you to show your face. In this instance, you are not in the House, for the purpose of a reprimand,” she said.
When Kubheka said she was still not feeling well, and hence was not in the House, ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said she was supposed to show her face on the screen.
“We did not get anything that she is not well. We will make sure the honourable member appears to do what she is supposed to do. We apologise on behalf of the ANC,“ Dlakude said.
Cape Times
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