Which way will Winnie jump?

2003-03-18 10:07

Cape Town - African National Congress MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela could face her party's national disciplinary committee if she fails to appear in the National Assembly by Thursday to be reprimanded by speaker Frene Ginwala for contravening parliament's code of conduct.

Ginwala last week wrote a letter to Madikizela-Mandela giving her 10 days to appear in the house to be censured. The deadline expires on March 20.

ANC chief whip Nathi Nhleko said on Monday his party supported Ginwala's intention to reprimand Madikizela-Mandela in line with the recommendations of parliament's joint ethics committee.

Madikizela-Mandela was the first MP to be found guilty last year of failing to disclose substantial donations, and her interests in the Winnie Mandela Family Museum, in the register of members' interests.

The committee recommended that she be fined half a month's salary and also be reprimanded by Ginwala. This was endorsed by the National Assembly in November last year.

She will need a court interdict

Asked what would happen if Madikizela-Mandela failed to appear on Thursday, Nhleko said: "We will have to study the reasons for her non-attendance and proceed from that point, informed by whatever reasons she would want to advance."

However, it is understood that if Madikizela-Mandela fails to attend without a court interdict preventing parliament from taking action against her, the matter is likely to be dealt with by the ANC's political committee.

It, in turn, would probably ask for ANC headquarters to step in, with a view to likely disciplinary action.

Regarding opposition calls for Madikizela-Mandela to be axed because of her serial truancy from parliament, Nhleko said her continued membership of the National Assembly was a matter to be considered by the ANC's national executive committee and not by the party in parliament.

He said Madikizela-Mandela had been granted sick leave towards the end of last year before an operation, which was then converted into extended leave because of her trial on fraud and theft charges.

Regarding her chronic absenteeism from parliament before that time, Nhleko said this was one of the matters the ANC's national leadership had been asked to look into as part of "other problems" involving the party's Women's League president.

ANC national spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama was not available for comment.

Madikizela-Mandela was consulting her lawyer on Monday afternoon and also was not available for comment.

Dlamini also in hot water

Regarding allegations involving ANC MP Bathabile Dlamini, Nhleko said the matter was still sub judice.

Dlamini featured in the Jali commission's recent jobs-for pals probe, after it was discovered that several applicants for correctional services posts in the Western Cape had given her Cape Town home as their permanent address.

She declined to appear in person before the commission, instead submitting a 1½-page affidavit on the final day of the four-month hearings.

In his closing argument, the commission's leader of evidence, Vas Soni, said she was part of a "conspiracy" to hide the truth from the commission.

Dlamini is an ANC whip, a senior figure in the Women's League, and also a member of the National Assembly's portfolio committee on correctional services.

Nhleko said: "Our view is that the commission must establish whether she exerted any undue influence in this process.

"The matter is still sub judice and therefore we are not in a position to discuss other intricacies."

The Yengeni affair

Regarding ANC former chief whip Tony Yengeni, who resigned from parliament earlier this month, he said the issue of whether Yengeni would remain in the ANC national executive committee was being dealt with by the national leadership through a disciplinary committee.

However, Nhleko said the ANC's commitment to fighting corruption was evident and clear.

"Whenever corruption emanates, it must be rooted out. However, allegations must not be given the status of facts."

- SAPA