Dlamini-Zuma, Gordhan among parliament’s richest in land ownership and shares

Showered with gifts, which include expensive wines, a pure maple syrup and owning shares, homes and land, MPs of the country’s three biggest political parties have emerged as being in the rich list – amid the sea of poverty millions of citizens find themselves.

Parliament this week released the Register of Members’ Interests, with Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Alvin Botes, being among the rich in land ownership and shares.

While EFF leader Julius Malema and Police Minister Bheki Cele did not have much to declare – making them appear modest in the rich list – ANC MP Marubini Lourane Lubengo made a surprise declaration of owning a church, among her four properties in Musina, Limpopo.

Dlamini-Zuma holds numerous shares, owns expensive properties in KwaZulu-Natal’s Zimbali – a two- bedroom apartment, a rural home and a plot, with her Nkosazana Zuma Family Trust listing NC Dlamini-Zuma, G Zuma and JJ Patridge as trustees.

With his long list of share portfolio handled by bankers and brokers, Gordhan has heavily invested in banks, chemicals, health care, real estate, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and biotechnology.

Listed among gifts Gordhan received – a chess masters book valued at R200 from Jonathan Ball Publishers, his biography and a small display of an SA Airways aircraft, Gordan’s declared gifts are nothing to write home about compared to other Cabinet colleagues.

Listed among his treasured gifts, Botes’ collection includes a pure maple syrup worth R500 from the Canadian embassy, a box of secret tea from Korea valued at R500, a silver boat ornament worth R900 from the ambassador of Oman, an X1 Makers Mark whiskey worth R600 from Morocco and a Lenovo laptop worth R12,000 from China.

Commenting on the significance of the Register of Members’ Interests, University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood described the register as being “very important to ensure transparency and ethical conduct”.

“MPs are very different and from diverse backgrounds, with some having left previous careers to join Parliament and may have accrued more assets and wealth than others.

“There is always a question on how complete the register honestly – something to be answered by an audit and members having to provide more details by completing information when requested, with anomalies being found.”

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Henwood said South Africa was characterised by big inequalities in society, which included MPs “no longer only a racial divide”.

“In some way SA is more and more defined by class than only the historical racial divide.

“One of the issues with this is the influence it has on decision-making and actions in Parliament by MPs.

“There are glaring examples of elitism, insensitivities to reality in life lived.

“There is lack of understanding of the challenges and problems faced by the marginalised, poor and average citizens,” said Henwood.

brians@citizen.co.za