TWO senior members of the Gauteng provincial legislature belonging to the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) have proudly and publicly disclosed their links to the whites-only enclave Orania in the Northern Cape.
This was revealed in the 2024/25 register of the 80 members of the provincial legislatures’ (MPLs’) interests, in which they declare directorships, gifts, properties and remuneration from employment outside the legislature, among others.
FF+ MPL Jaco Mulder, who is the chairperson of the legislature’s portfolio committee on environment, agriculture and rural development, declared a stand in Orania in the land and properties he owns.
His party colleague and fellow MPL, Advocate Anton Alberts, declared 110 ordinary shares valued at R11 000 with Orania’s Oranjekas Spaar en Kredietkoöperasie (Oranjekas Savings and Credit [OSC] Co-operative Bank).
Alberts, who is the chairperson of the portfolio committee on economic development, also indicated that he was a director of OSC Co-operative Bank.
Environment MEC and Patriotic Alliance (PA) MPL Sheila Mary Peters declared nine houses, three of which are in Reiger Park in Ekurhuleni, two each in Boksburg and Boksburg West, and one each in Brakpan and Pretoria.
Both FF+ and PA are part of the government of provincial unity but the former chose not to take up any executive authority positions (MECs) but instead play an important oversight role.
ANC MPL and lay preacher Thulani Kunene declared six houses whose sizes range from two to four bedrooms in Three Rivers, Duncanville, Orange Farm and Arcon Park.
The ANC Sedibeng regional chairperson also raises livestock and informed the legislature that he has seven cows in Mapleton, Ekurhuleni.
Another ANC MPL, Vuyiswa Jentile, also has livestock in the Eastern Cape, and declared five cows and 10 sheep.
Interestingly, Jentile, a former student leader, described her remuneration from employment outside the legislature as a “side hustle”, where she sells Forever, presumably the health and beauty products range.
One of the directorships and partnerships declared by premier Panyaza Lesufi declared is now-defunct legendary football club Moroka Swallows, which lifelong supporters and ex-players are trying to revive after its top flight status was bought by Marumo Gallants, which in turn sold its status in the second tier of South African football to Leruma United.
Lesufi is a diehard supporter of the Moroka Swallows, known to football lovers as “The Birds”.
Eyebrows could be raised in the case of ANC provincial spokesperson Lesego Makhubela, who sits in the portfolio committee on education but declared that he has another income bearing asset in the form of a taxi used for scholar transport.
A few MPLs also run their private law firms, such as ANC MPL Ezra Letsoalo, chairperson of the portfolio committee on health and wellness, who declared a private legal practice as his remuneration from employment outside the legislature, the DA’s Michael Sun and Mervyn Cirota, who are both attorneys, and Alberts, who indicated he is also into legal consulting as an advocate.
Former health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku works as a locum in private medical practice. A locum medical practitioner works on a temporary basis and mostly without a direct contract with an employer.
According to the legislature’s integrity commissioner, Koko Mashigo, the register is the cornerstone in the management of conflicts of interest that might arise in relation to a member’s role as a public representative.
”MPLs hold a position of power and influence in decision-making. This has an inherent possibility of their personal and/or business interests conflicting with their role as elected public representatives,” she said.
Sunday Independent