Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interest

The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interest is a joint committee of the Parliament of South Africa that deals with the ethical conduct of Members of Parliament and the disclosure of their financial interests. Its primary function is to promote and oversee the implementation of the parliamentary code of conduct, including by publishing the annual Register of Members' Interests and conducting disciplinary hearings to investigate allegations of misconduct by Members of Parliament.

Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interest
Formation1999
PurposeImplementation of the parliamentary code of conduct
Chairpersons
Bekizwe Nkosi (ANC)
Lydia Moshodi (ANC)
Parent organisation
Parliament of South Africa

In the 27th Parliament, the Committee comprises 14 members from the National Assembly and nine delegates from the National Council of Provinces.[1] On 11 September 2019, Bekizwe Nkosi (of the National Assembly) and Lydia Moshodi (of the National Council of Provinces) were elected as its co-chairpersons.[2]

History and activities

The committee was established in 1999 at the outset of the 23rd Parliament in a merger between the Committee on Ethics (spearheaded by Kader Asmal)[3] and the Committee on Members' Interests. Bernard Ncube was the inaugural chairperson, with Lawrence Mushwana as her deputy.[4]

Since then, the committee has held several high-profile proceedings, including disciplinary investigations into the conduct of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,[5] Deputy President Jacob Zuma,[6] Yolanda Botha,[7] and Dina Pule.[8] In such cases, the Committee makes disciplinary findings and recommends sanctions, but these must be adopted by Parliament in a plenary before they are implemented. The committee has sometimes been criticised as being overly lax in enforcing disciplinary standards.[7][9]

List of chairpersons

Since the outset of the 25th Parliament in 2009, the committee has had two co-chairpersons, one representing the National Assembly and one representing the National Council of Provinces. To date, all chairpersons have been members of the African National Congress (ANC), the national governing party.

Chairpersons of the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interest
Session National Assembly National Council of Provinces Election date Citation
27th Parliament Bekizwe Nkosi ANC Lydia Moshodi ANC 11 September 2019 [2]
26th Parliament Humphrey Maxegwana ANC Omie Singh ANC 25 October 2018 [10]
Amos Masondo ANC 8 July 2014 [11]
25th Parliament Ben Turok ANC Buoang Mashile ANC 8 February 2011 [12]
Luwellyn Landers ANC 27 August 2009 [13]
24th Parliament Luwellyn Landers ANC None 25 June 2004 [14]
23rd Parliament Bernard Ncube ANC None 11 October 1999 [4]

References
  1. "Ethics and Members' Interest". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  2. "Ethics Committee elects chairpersons". Parliament of South Africa. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. "Musical chairs of parliamentary committees". The Mail & Guardian. 1995-08-18. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  4. "Election of chairperson; overview of committee". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 11 October 1999. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  5. "Winnie found guilty by ethics committee". The Mail & Guardian. 2002-08-20. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  6. "Zuma believed cleared by ethics committee". The Mail & Guardian. 2003-11-20. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  7. "Parliament's ethics committee eviscerates top ANC MP". The Mail & Guardian. 2011-08-25. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  8. "Turok assigned bodyguards over Pule investigation". The Mail & Guardian. 2013-08-08. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  9. "Ethics bend under pressure". The Mail & Guardian. 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  10. Gerber, Jan (30 October 2018). "Malema to serve on Parliament's ethics committee". News24. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  11. "Election of Chairperson; Committee Report on Extension of deadline for MPs to disclose financial interests; Committee Programme". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  12. "Election of NA Chairperson". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  13. "Joint Committee on Ethics & Members' Interests Election of Co-Chairpersons". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
  14. "Chairperson Election". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 25 June 2004. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
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