Ethics committee warns Mkhwebane: Don't release audio evidence of bribery

Parliament’s ethics committee has warned suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane not to make public the alleged audio recordings between her husband David Skosana and late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson and to instead hand the evidence to the committee.

In a letter to Mkhwebane’s lawyers on Monday, the committee said it took umbrage at the manner in which Mkhwebane was handling her complaint of bribery, extortion and corruption against ANC MPs Pemmy Majodina, Richard Dyantyi and Joemat-Pettersson.

Mkhwebane is scheduled to hold a media briefing at 12.30pm on Tuesday where she is expected to make public the alleged recordings.

TimesLIVE has seen the letter from the ethics committee’s acting registrar, advocate Anthea Gordon, in which she states its concerns about the release of the alleged recordings.

“Should the information about the release of recordings be factually correct, the committee wishes to express its dissatisfaction at the manner in which your client elects to conduct her complaint before the committee, in the media,” said Gordon.

“The committee requests that your client respects the processes of parliament. Should your client and/or Mr Skosana be in possession of recordings, the committee requests that it be handed over to the acting registrar of members’ interests immediately as your client was obliged to do so when she lodged her complaint.

“Your client cannot elect what information she wants to place before the committee and what she wants to first release in the media before submitting it to the committee. The committee takes umbrage at this,” she continued.

An insider said the committee does not want the evidence in the public domain as this may jeopardise its investigation.

TimesLIVE has established that at its meeting on Monday, the committee decided to deal with Mkhwebane’s complaint in September when parliament returns from its long winter break. It will start collating evidence and the work will be done in September, said an insider.

The committee announced on Monday that four members — Bekizwe Nkosi (ANC), Violet Siwela (ANC), Mimmy Gondwe (DA) and Julius Malema (EFF), who also serve on the committee conducting the section 194 inquiry — have been recused for the purpose of Mkhwebane’s complaints to ensure a fair and ethical process conducted with integrity.

It said it will process the complaints in line with the provisions of the code of ethical conduct and disclosures of members’ interests and will at its next meeting engage on the substance of the complaints.

Mkhwebane complained to the ethics committee after media reports that the three ANC members are under investigation for allegedly soliciting a R600,000 bribe from her through her husband to make the inquiry into her fitness to hold office “go away”.

Ethics committee meetings are held behind closed doors.

TimesLIVE