Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance welcomes the guilty finding of the Parliamentary Joint Ethics Committee against Deputy President Paul Mashatile, for failing to disclose a diamond gifted to his wife by alleged fraudster Louis Liebenberg. We also note the sanction of a reprimand and R10,000 fine. This follows a complaint I laid with the committee on 5 March 2025.
The Deputy President has since confirmed that the diamond was handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
However, the ethics report raises more questions than answers, and the DA will submit Parliamentary questions in this regard.
The questions that will be asked are:
- What other gifts has the Deputy President and/or his wife received from Mr Liebenberg?
- What did the Deputy President gift Mr Liebenberg in return for this goodwill?
- What is the value of the diamond? In this instance, the Deputy President did indicate that his office was in the process of establishing the value, and we look forward to receiving their findings in this regard.
There are also questions around the legality of this diamond, its nature, source and certification. These questions will be asked both to the Deputy President and the Department of Justice. The exact nature of the relationship between the Deputy President, his wife, and Mr Liebenberg that led to the visit at the Deputy President’s home in November 2023 also requires immediate investigation.
It is worrying that the Deputy President is so careless in his failure to disclose his assets as required. This finding follows on the back of reports earlier this week that the Deputy President also failed to declare a R28,9 million Constantia home in Cape Town after two years of denial. These failures give rise to serious concerns as to why the Deputy President continuously fails to declare assets transparently and ethically, as well as what other assets the Deputy President holds that have not yet been declared.
South Africans deserve transparency from their Deputy President, remunerated with public money, about the assets he acquires by virtue of the office he holds.
Regards
George Michalakis MP
DA Chief Whip in Parliament
NOTES: The nature of the Mashatile/Liebenberg relationship is still unclear. The Deputy President has subsequently failed to declare a R28,9 million Constantia home.