DA: Yengeni must step down

2003-02-16 16:01

Cape Town - Former ANC Chief Whip Tony Yengeni must step down from his post as a member of Parliament regardless of what sentence he receives for fraud, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

If he does not, then the African National Congress leadership must act against him, DA spokesperson Raenette Taljaard said in a statement.

"Tony Yengeni has become a public embarrassment for the ANC and for Parliament. He must go," she said.

Yengeni, the ANC's former chief whip in Parliament, was found guilty of fraud in Pretoria's Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday but acquitted on corruption charges in terms of a plea agreement with the State.

The charges relate to a 47 percent discount he received on a luxury 4X4 Mercedes Benz in 1998.

Arguments in mitigation and aggravation of sentence are to start in the court on Monday.

Whether or not Yengeni retains his parliamentary seat depends on the sentences he receives.

In terms of the Constitution, no person may be a member of the National Assembly if convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine.

Taljaard said the DA would ask the parliamentary ethics committee and the Speaker, Frene Ginwala to examine Yengeni's allegedly "misleading statements" made in public and in Parliament.

These statements were misleading because he denied that the acquisition of the car was gift or donation or that it had influenced the awarding of a tender in the country's billion-rand arms deal.

Yengeni subsequently admitted in the plea bargain that he failed to disclose to Parliament that he had received a discount on the car from businessman Michael Woerfel, the head of Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG's Pretoria representative office.

"It is our view that disciplinary steps must be taken against him. If no clear sanction exists for members who mislead the House this matter, must receive priority attention of the Rules Committee of Parliament.

"Mr Yengeni has pleaded guilty to defrauding Parliament, has made misleading statements to the National Assembly and took steps to clear his name in press releases in 2001 which were clearly aimed at misleading the voters of South Africa.

"This conduct is not only unbecoming as a public representative."

- SAPA