Register of Members’ Interests 2006: tabling

Meeting report

JOINT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND MEMBERS INTERESTS
8 September 2006
REGISTER OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS 2006: TABLING

Chairperson: Mr L Landers (ANC)

Document handed out:
Register of Members’ Interests, 2006

SUMMARY
The meeting was closed to the public but the Chairperson addressed the public after the meeting to provide a synopsis of the proceedings. He said that the Committee had adopted the 2006 Register of Members’ Interests but noted that three seriously ill members were unable to disclose their interests and there had been 26 members sworn in over the past month. The Registrar was attempting to get the Register put on Parliament’s website so that any additions could be made electronically which would be much easier.

MINUTES
The Chairperson addressed interested parties after the meeting. He said that the Committee had adopted the Register but he noted that three seriously ill members were unable to disclose their interests. The Committee condoned this until they were in positions to disclose. Parliament had also sworn in 26 new members in the past month and they had had to attend workshops on the Code of Ethics and on financial and business disclosures. Their disclosures would be assessed along with those of the sick members and additions would be made to the register. The Registrar, Ms Fazila Mohamed, was in the process of getting the register put on Parliament’s website so that any additions could be made electronically which would be much easier.

The Chairperson said that during the recess he had been contacted by a researcher from the Democratic Alliance who had given him a letter of complaint on behalf of a Member of Parliament. The letter claimed that Mr D Oliphant (ANC) had failed to disclose his interests in three companies. The Registrar investigated and found that the allegations in the letter were wrong. In her report, she recommended that the complaint be dismissed and the Committee agreed.

The Committee also raised concerns about what was in the letter. Some of the issues contained therein were currently in the courts. For example, the writer alleged that Mr Oliphant was involved in the "Travelgate" saga. The Committee said that anyone could make a complaint but they were concerned that the complainant brought in issues that were outside of Parliament’s mandate and therefore the writer had to formally apologise to Mr Oliphant. The Committee would issue a report to Parliament about this.

The meeting was adjourned.