Parliament, Friday, 26 April 2024 – The National Council of Provinces, during its plenary session yesterday, adopted two reports of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests.
The first report dealt with the non-disclosure of members’ interests for 2023, while the other report dealt with the review of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosures of Members’ Interests for Assembly and Permanent Council Members.
The committee found that 11 members – ten Members of the National Assembly and one Permanent Delegate of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) – failed to disclose their financial and other registrable interests by the deadline of 30 September 2023. Members of Parliament are required to disclose their registrable interests annually as stipulated by the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests. This also mandates members to submit a "nil" return if they have no registrable interests.
The committee recommended disciplinary actions against several members, including Mr Itumeleng Ntsube, a Delegate in the NCOP who faces a fine equivalent to 30 days’ salary, including a reprimand in the House.
The House also adopted the second committee report on the review of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosures of Members’ Interests for Assembly and Permanent Council Members. The review of the Code was to ensure that it addresses contemporary challenges.
One such challenge is that the previous Code did not have clear guidelines on the ethical use of social media platforms by Members of Parliament. Social media create a platform for members of the public to interact with Members of Parliament. The same platforms, however, still pose a reputation risk for an institution such as Parliament. Proposals made in the new Code are, among others, for constitutional parameters on the prevention of incitement of violence or promotion of hate speech and racism.
The Code also proposes stronger penalties for breaching the Code ranging from a reprimand in the House, R10 000 fine for a first offence of breaching the Code, R45 000 for a third offence, a fine not exceeding 30 days’ salary, the suspension of a member’s right to participate in parliamentary debates and committees for a period determined by the committee, and a reduction in their salary and allowances for a period not exceeding 30 days, depending on the nature of the breach.
Furthermore, the Code proposes risk-based profile lifestyle audits for categories of members, including Presiding Officers, Chairpersons of Committees, Chief Whips of all Political Parties, any member that has been red-flagged by the e-disclosure system, and any other member or categories of members as the committee may identify from time to time.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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