South African Parliament Enforces Ethics Code: Dipuo Peters Suspended and Floyd Shivambu Docked Salary

In a landmark move upholding the integrity of political office, the South African Parliament has imposed significant sanctions against two of its members, exemplifying its resolve against ethical misconduct. Small Business Development Deputy Minister Dipuo Peters has been suspended for a parliamentary term, while Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Deputy President Floyd Shivambu will be docked nine days' salary, both on grounds of breaching parliamentary ethics codes.

Dipuo Peters, whose career has spanned various ministerial roles, including that as the former Minister of Transport, faced scrutiny under three separate complaints registered in September of the previous year. The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests conducted a thorough review and found her guilty of multiple ethics code transgressions. These infractions date back to her tenure in transport, where she was implicated in malpractices related to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa). The suspension effectively removes her from participating in all parliamentary discussions, debates, and committee meetings for a duration typically lasting from eight to ten weeks, as outlined in Parliament's 2023 programme framework.

One of the charges against Peters concerned the appointment process, or lack thereof, for a CEO at Prasa, which detrimentally led to a financial loss equating to R1.7 million paid to a recruitment company. Further, Peters faced allegations suggesting her involvement in the dismissal of the Prasa board after it unearthed R14 billion in irregular spending and launched corruption probes within the agency. In a related concern, there was a failure to follow up on issues surrounding R79-million of Prasa funds allegedly channelled to the reigning party, an act in contradiction to her role to combat corruption. Additionally, she was accused of permitting the use of Prasa buses for ANC events without the appropriate financial recompense to the agency.

Meanwhile, amidst separate accusations, Floyd Shivambu was reprimanded for not declaring three disbursements cumulatively amounting to R180,000, which he received from VBS Mutual Bank back in 2017. The National Assembly, after deliberating on the report produced five years post the initial complaint, decided to adopt it despite opposition from EFF members. The forthcoming salary docking serves as a cautionary tale to other members on the importance of transparency and declaration of interests.

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed the concurrence of the penalties for Peters, ensuring that the Parliament maintains its notified schedule of enforcement as per regulations and procedural standards. As for Shivambu, the implementation details for the commencement of his salary reduction are to be clarified subsequently.

These decisive actions are reflective of a broader commitment to uphold the integrity of public office and reaffirm the pledge towards ethical governance. As South Africa navigates the intricate landscape of political accountability, this enforcement of the ethics code signifies not only the empowerment of oversight institutions but an enduring promise to the citizens for a corruption-free administration.