President Thabo Mbeki, pictured , must take "appropriate action" against Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi for failing to disclose a birthday gift, the public protector recommended on Wednesday.

President Thabo Mbeki, pictured , must take "appropriate action" against Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi for failing to disclose a birthday gift, the public protector recommended on Wednesday.

Fraser-Moleketi received a gift worth R2500 from Melanie Bernard-Fryer, former chief executive officer of the Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging Sector Training Authority (Mappp-Seta) in August 2006.

It is alleged that she received the gift "in return for the favour of Fraser-Moleketi forwarding certain documents relating to fraud and corruption [in the Mappp-Seta] to the Minister of Labour", a report by the public protector saYS.

"It is recommended that the president attend to the violation of the code by Fraser-Moleketi in the appropriate manner," the report recommends.

Fraser-Moleketi has denied the allegation and told the public protector that she had already returned the gift.