The deputy president was recently fined R10 000 by parliament.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile must account for himself after he failed to declare a diamond gifted to his wife by controversial businessman Louis Liebenberg, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Friday after the swearing-in of acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, Ramaphosa made it clear that the responsibility to respond lies with Mashatile himself.
“I can’t answer for him and he has answers for all his matters.
“We will need to wait for him to provide answers to all these questions. Only he can answer them. So let’s wait for that, and then we take the process from there,” Ramaphosa said.
Mashatile reacts after fine over Louis Liebenberg diamond gift
Earlier this week, parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests imposed a R10 000 fine on Mashatile for failing to declare the diamond in the confidential section of his financial interests register.
The fine follows a formal complaint by the DA.
Mashatile had defended his actions by stating he had been awaiting an appraisal to confirm the diamond’s authenticity and value before disclosing it.
However, the committee concluded that this did not exempt him from his duty to declare the gift.
On Friday, Mashatile confirmed that the diamond in question was handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
ALSO READ: Mashatile reveals he spent R2.3m on travel, food and laundry for Japan trip
This followed Liebenberg’s arrest last year on charges including fraud, theft, racketeering and money laundering.
“They did verify its authenticity and the price so that we can then declare it once we have all that information,” he told the media while attending a government service delivery programme in North West.
“In the course of that, then we found out that the person who made the donation we’re not quite happy with. I then said maybe it should be given to the authorities.”
Mashatile said that although the diamond was intended as a gift for his wife, he ultimately chose not to reject it.
“The present was not for me and it was for my wife, but I don’t want her to accept something from somebody who may be questionable and that’s the reason why we took it to the authorities. I think it’s with the NPA.”
Mashatile’s property declarations
Mashatile has faced mounting scrutiny in recent months over his perceived opulent lifestyle and close ties to individuals implicated in corruption, including businessman Edwin Sodi.
The diamond gift from Liebenberg – along with Mashatile’s recent disclosures involving high-end properties – has further heightened public scrutiny.
The deputy president declared ownership of a R28.9 million estate in Constantia, Cape Town, despite previously denying any property ownership in the area.
His office had insisted in October last year that he had no properties in Cape Town aside from a house in Kelvin, Johannesburg, purchased through a bank loan with his late wife.
At the time, the Constantia property was reportedly owned by a company connected to his son-in-law.
However, new disclosures made this year list the 4 000 square metre Constantia house as Mashatile’s, along with a 9 300 square metre home in Waterfall, Midrand, reportedly valued at R37 million and the Kelvin residence.
The Hawks are currently investigating Mashatile following criminal charges laid by the DA.
Last year, Mashatile declared ownership of two properties, one located in Midrand spanning 1 000 by 1 200 square metres and another in Sandton covering 600 by 800 square metres.
NOW READ: Mashatile denies family tied to multibillion-rand lottery deal
