Cabinet: Clarify ethics code

2009-05-20 22:23

Cape Town - Cabinet ministers want clearer guidelines on handling gifts following the outcry over contractors giving Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele a top of the range Mercedes Benz, government said on Wednesday.

Government spokesperson Themba Maseko said ministers raised the issue at the first meeting of President Jacob Zuma's new Cabinet and commended Ndebele for returning the car, but mooted revisiting the executive code of ethics.

"Cabinet raised the issue... Maybe we need to look at the ethics handbook to make sure there is proper guidance," he said.

"Ministers will always be given gifts and as the new Cabinet we should discuss how these things are handled."

Ndebele bowed to public pressure on Tuesday and asked KwaZulu-Natal contractors who gave him the car to sell it and use the proceeds to fund a training programme for emerging contractors.

He confirmed that Zuma had said he was entitled to keep the car with its price tag of more than R1m provided he declare the gift in accordance with the ethics code.

The Democratic Alliance, the SA Communist Party, the Congress of SA Trade Unions all urged him to return it, warning that lavish gifts could create a dangerous perception of conflict of interest.

The DA's parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip, said Zuma had missed an opportunity to send a clear message against special favours for the ruling class.

The code of ethics stipulates that ministers must ask the president's permission to keep any gift worth more than R1 000. If he agrees, the gift has to be declared. If not, it must be returned or given to the state.

- SAPA