Lekota discloses it all
2003-05-28 15:03
Cape Town - Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has disclosed interests in two properties to parliament's ethics committee, in addition to acknowledging that he had not told of his oil and wine interests.
These properties were not previously reported as being part of the minister's financial interests.
All members of parliament and ministers are required to divulge these interests.
This emerges in the announcements, tablings and committee reports of parliament tabled on Wednesday which reports on his apology to the ethics committee last week for not registering his interests in the parliamentary register.
Two residential properties - one in Bloemfontein and one in Westville near Durban - were not registered in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
In addition, his interests in Mokolla Investment, which he serves as a director were not registered in those years. He declared was a dormant company and had never traded.
The multiparty ethics committee - headed by African National Congress MP Lluwellyn Landers - was told "at the outset" that the minister had apologized for his failure to disclose his interests in the register of members' interests.
Minister tendered his apology
"He conceded that he erred in not forwarding full details of his disclosures and accepts that he failed to abide with the requirements of the code."
The reports say the office of the registrar received correspondence - on May 15 - from the minister in which he tendered an apology to parliament for his non-disclosure of financial interests, including those in BZL Petroleum. He also notes membership of the Braam Fischer board of trustees and
notes he was a member of the Grey College school governing body.
On May 16, the Mail & Guardian newspaper published an article on the non-disclosure of financial interests referring to the non-disclosure of BZL Petroleum as well as the minister's directorship of both Landzicht, a wine farm, and Griekwaland-Wes Kooperasie.
The minister explained he acquired his directorship of GWK in
October 2002 and, therefore, in terms of the rules "is only required to disclose it in the 2003 disclosure", according to the report.
The committee considered the Mail & Guardian's statement that Landzicht was a regular supplier of wines to the Free State government.
The article also stated that Trade and Investment South Africa (Tisa) paid 80% of Landzicht's exhibitions held in Thailand, Beijing and Uganda.
The committee found through Tisa that the minister was not, at any stage, directly involved in dealing with any application - and there was only record of the exhibition in Uganda.
In respect of the BZL Petroleum CC 1169, the minister indicated he had "at no time" drawn any benefit and advised that the business had undergone liquidation. The minister was credited with a dividend and had not drawn it to date.
In respect of BZL CC 1209, the minister had a 5% share at a
nominal value of five rand. The minister indicated to the committee that the company value was difficult to determine, but it was not likely to be significant.
He had received no remuneration of benefit to date and now had tendered his resignation from BZL Petroleum.
No contract to supply wine
With regard to Landzicht, the minister "has partially disclosed this interest, including the wine farm in Jacobsdal", said the report.
He received no payment from Landzicht, it also reported. The minister indicated there was no contract to supply wine to the Free State government - of which he was previously premier - as alleged in the M&G.
With regard to his involvement with GWK, he was invited to serve as a non-executive director in October 2002, but he had tendered his resignation.
He also said he received no benefit personally from the Braam Fischer board of trustees which helped rural children.
The minister also did not receive benefits from the Grey School governing body.