Media Statement: Ethics Committee Concludes Investigation into Complaint Against Mr Zwane MP

Press Releases

Parliament, Thursday, 9 March 2023 – The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has completed all processes in considering a complaint lodged by Mr James Lorimer, MP, and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) against Mr Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane, MP.

The complaint emanated from the fifth Parliament and thereafter the committee established under the sixth Parliament resolved to continue with it. The two complaints were lodged on 27 June and 25 October 2017, alleging breach of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests for Assembly and Permanent Council Members. The complaints relate to the Mr Zwane’s tenure as Minister of Mineral Resources.

The committee considered the complaints together with the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State, as they covered the same topics.


The committee made the following findings on various elements of the complaint:

  1. The committee found that the Member failed to disclose registrable interests for the period 2015/2016 and thereby breached item 10.1.1.1 read with item 9.2.1 and item 9.3.8, in that he failed to declare:
  • Travel from Zurich to Dubai on 2 December 2015, which was paid for by the Guptas.
  • Being chauffeur-driven in Dubai at the expense of the Guptas (Sahara Computer).
  • Two-day stay in Delhi, India, at the expense of the Guptas.
  1. The committee found that the Member breached item 10.1.1.3 of the code read with item 4.1, 4.1.3, 4.1.4 and 4.1.5 of the code when the Member issued a press statement that brought the executive and Parliament into disrepute, a press statement the member does not deny. The committee found that the Member did not act with the public trust placed in him in mind and he did not discharge his obligations in terms of the Constitution, to Parliament and the public at large by placing the public interests above his own interests.
  1. The committee found that the Member breached item 10.1.1.3 of the code read with item 5.2.2, read with 5.2.3 of the code for appointing advisors who were business associates of the Guptas.
  1. The committee found that the Member breached item 10.1.1.3 of the code read with items 4.1.3 and 4.1.5 of the code. In this regard, the Member failed to act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in him and failed to maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliament and thereby engender the respect and confidence that society needs to have in Parliament as a representative institution.


The committee has recommended to the National Assembly various penalties against the Member for the various transgressions; namely:

  1. That the Member be fined the amount of five days’ salary.
  2. That the Member enter an apology in the House for the press statement he issued, which had to be retracted by Cabinet.
  3. That the Member enter an apology in the House for appointing special advisors who were business associates of the Guptas.
  4. That the Member be suspended from his seat in parliamentary debates for one Parliamentary term.


The committee did not make any finding on the allegation that the Member lied or mislead Parliament in his responses to Parliamentary Questions, as the matter was dealt with in the National Assembly. The committee found that the Member did not breach the Code on the aspect of his appointment as Minister of Mineral Resources, as the reason for the appointment falls to former President Jacob Zuma.

The committee is of the view that the conclusion of this matter affirms the commitment to resolve all complaints before it. Also, the committee appreciates the effort put in by Members in dealing with this matter. Furthermore, the committee appreciates the commitment to ethical leadership by complainants who, through their acts, have strengthened ethical leadership in Parliament.

A full report will be published in the Parliament’s Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports.


ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND MEMBERS’ INTERESTS, MR BEKIZWE NKOSI AND MS LYDIA MOSHODI.


For media enquiries or interviews with the co-Chairpersons, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:

Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)

Parliamentary Communication Services

Tel: 021 403 8438

Cell: 081 512 7920

E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za