Whisky & vodka, a sheep & shoes: MPs beat deadline to declare financial interests to Parliament

CAPE TOWN - Parliamentarians have all made the deadline to declare their financial interests to Parliament and none will run the risk of being sanctioned this year.

Perhaps a sign of the times, but far fewer MPs have received gifts as was often the case in the past. 

Owing to the nature of their jobs, ministers are mostly the ones on the receiving end of gifts of alcohol, artworks, scarves, handbags and blankets. 

The register is the second since the start of the seventh administration.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has racked up a considerable list of donations, mostly of whisky and some vodka, while National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has declared an ostrich leather handbag, and Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, a sheep and shoes.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile, whose property ownership has in the past come under the spotlight, has declared three residential properties - in Constantia in Cape Town, and Midrand and Kelvin in Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, the MK Party's parliamentary leader, John Hlophe, has made no disclosures whatsoever in the public section of the register, claiming neither to own nor rent land or property.

Several ActionSA MPs have declared sponsored travel to Taiwan in March, from the local trade office, at a time when government has been under pressure to downgrade Taiwan’s embassy status in Pretoria.

In a more unusual donation received by an MP, the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Mlondi Mdluli received dog food donations worth more than R170,000. 

But it appears it was not for personal benefit and that the food was all donated to animal welfare organisations.