ETHICS COMMITTEE - Parliament clears MPs over Mkhwebane bribery claims

• Published date: 08 September 2023
• Publication title: Business Day (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has suffered yet another blow in parliament. The ethics committee cleared ANC MPs Pemmy Majodina and Richard Dyantyi of accusations that they tried to solicit a bribe from Mkhwebane’s husband, David Skosana

Skosana alleged that the late Tina Joemat-Pettersson tried to solicit a bribe from him on behalf of Majodina and Dyantyi to influence the outcome of the hearing into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

Dyantyi chaired the section 194 committee, while Majodina is the ANC chief whip.

After investigating complaints of bribery, the ethics committee on Thursday cleared the pair, saying the complaints were unfounded.

In its findings it said the version of events provided to the police by Skosana, on which the complaints were based, did not directly mention Majodina or Dyantyi. The recording of a conversation purported to be between Joemat-Pettersson and Skosana does not mention Majodina or Dyantyi.

This is the recording in which Joemat-Pettersson is purported to have solicited a bribe from Skosana, allegedly on behalf of Majodina and Dyantyi.

The committee found that the parts of evidence provided by Skosana of his WhatsApp conversations between him and Joemat-Pettersson "appear to be missing and therefore may not be a true reflection of the communication between them".

"Therefore, the committee found that the evidence before it does not provide a conclusion on the probability that the two MPs solicited a bribe of R200,000 in respect of the section 914 inquiry.

"The committee found that the complaint is unfounded and that Mr Dyantyi and Ms Majodina did not breach the code," it said in a statement issued by its chair, Lydia Moshodi.

"Regarding the complaint against the late Ms Joemat-Pettersson, item 3.1 of the code clearly states that it applies to MPs. Ms Joemat-Pettersson ceased to be...