Eight MPs, including Mashatile, reprimanded after Ethics Committee reports adopted

The National Assembly on Thursday adopted nine reports from the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest, prompting National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to administer reprimands to several MPs, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile, for breaches of the Ethical Code of Conduct for parliamentarians.

Who was reprimanded and why

The MPs named in the adopted reports included Paul Mashatile, former higher education minister Nobuhle Nkabane, Public Works and Infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson, DA MP and Police Portfolio Committee chairperson Ian Cameron, National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams, Patriotic Alliance MP Marlon Daniels, and MK Party MPs David Skosana and Visvin Reddy.

Mashatile was fined R10,000 for failing to declare a gift from businessman Louis Liebenberg. Cameron was cautioned to exercise greater care in future interviews and public statements. Macpherson was found to have used a derogatory term when he referred to ActionSA members as “amaphara“. Reddy was reprimanded for disregarding instructions from National Assembly Deputy Speaker Annelie Lotriet during a plenary session.

Sanctions and virtual proceedings

The sanctions imposed across the cases included reprimands, salary docking and orders to enter apologies in the House. MPs attended the plenary via the virtual platform and were asked to open their videos so that their faces could be visible during the proceedings.

Fadiel Adams was suspended from his seat in parliamentary debates and committees for 20 days with corresponding salary docking after posting personal information of a DA staff member on Facebook without that person’s consent. David Skosana was suspended for 15 days and fined R15,000.

Apologies and responses in the House

Speaker Didiza emphasised the wider responsibilities of MPs beyond the chamber and to their oath of office. She told the House that the offences ran against the Code of Ethics and highlighted members’ conduct on social media and in public.

“I do want to appreciate that the majority of you showed remorse in terms of the actions that were intended to, but it says for each one of us that we do need to remember that our oath of office does not relate to what we do in the House but also what we write in social media and say to members of the public,”

“This is a reminder to all of us that we should at all times remember the oath we have taken.”

Didiza asked those given reprimands to apologise to the House for their conduct.

Individual apologies and exchanges

Fadiel Adams apologised after the matter relating to posting personal information was raised. The report records his apology as profuse.

Nobuhle Nkabane offered an apology:

“I just want to tender my apology on behalf of the House for my ethical conduct.”

ACDP MP Steve Swart objected to the wording, saying she had apologised “on behalf of the House” which he said was not in order. Speaker Didiza responded that it appeared to be a mistake and clarified:

“I am sure it was a mistake. It was an apology to the House, not on behalf of the House.”

Marlon Daniels made an apology for breaching parliamentary protocol when he allowed his colleague Raatiqah Tagodien into the Chamber after the voting bells had rung. He said:

“I give my full commitment that I will not repeat what happened in the past. There is no justification. I take full responsibility,”

and accepted his actions were out of order.

Other proceedings and objections

The DA objected to the adoption of the reports related to Ian Cameron and Dean Macpherson. Speaker Didiza said she would engage with Macpherson because he was absent and his party had objected to the related report. She said she would engage the members and the Ethics Committee, which had conducted the engagements and issued the sanctions.

It was explained in the House that Ian Cameron did not have to enter an apology after ANC MP Cameron Dugmore raised concern that Cameron was in the House but did not join the trio that entered apologies.

What the Ethics Committee imposed

• Paul Mashatile: fined R10,000 for failing to declare a gift.
• Fadiel Adams: suspended for 20 days and salary docked; required to apologise for posting personal information without consent.
• David Skosana: suspended for 15 days and fined R15,000.
• Ian Cameron: cautioned over public statements and interviews.
• Dean Macpherson: reprimanded for using the derogatory term “amaphara”.
• Visvin Reddy: reprimanded for disregarding instructions from the Deputy Speaker.

The House adopted the nine reports from the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest during the plenary session.