Zwane in hot water with Parly for failure to apologise for not declaring his Gupta perks

CAPE TOWN - Former Minister of Mineral Resources and African National Congress (ANC) member of Parliament Mosebenzi Zwane has been found guilty of contempt of Parliament. 

Moreover, he will lose half of his March salary.

This is because Zwane is yet to apologise to the National Assembly for failing to declare his Gupta benefits after he failed to apologise on two occasions last year.

On Thursday, the powers and privileges committee considered and adopted a report following its disciplinary hearing that found Zwane guilty.

The committee’s report states that arrangements were made with ANC Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina to ensure that Zwane presented himself to the house to apologise last year, but Zwane was absent on that day.

He also missed a second opportunity to apologise later in the year.

READ: Parly to start disciplinary hearing into Zwane's ethics code violations

While Zwane fulfilled other penalties to dock his salary, the outstanding penalty was with his failure to apologise to Parliament.

The committee adopted a report recommending half of Zwane’s salary be docked.

"The finding of the committee was that Mr Zwane was guilty as charged of contempt of Parliament. And the recommendation is that he must enter an apology as required by the house and lastly, he must be sanctioned or fined 50% of his monthly salary," said committee advisor Advocate Victor Ngaleka.

While Zwane pleaded not guilty, his new sanctions will now go to the National Assembly for its adoption.