Cape Town – Deputy President Paul Mashatile faces a R10 000 fine for failing to declare a diamond gift that his wife received from a notorious dealer in precious stones.
The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests on Thursday, 31 July 2025, said it had “resolved that the National Assembly should reprimand the Deputy President, Mr. Paul Mashatile, and impose a R10 000 fine on him for his failure to declare a gift to his wife in the confidential part of his financial and registrable interests register”.
The committee recounted that, through the Office of the Registrar, received a formal complaint against the Deputy President on 5 March 2025 for an alleged breach of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Members’ Interests.
Item 13(3)(f) of the code requires Members of Parliament to disclose gifts received by their immediate family in the confidential part of the register.
“Following consideration of the complaint and perusal of the confidential part of the Deputy President’s disclosed interests, the committee noted that the gift in question (a diamond from Mr. Louis Liebenberg) was not disclosed,” the committee said.
Diamond dealer Liebenberg and his wife, Dezzi, are embroiled in a legal matter in which they are accused of fleecing investors of more than R4 billion since 2019.
Liebenberg and his wife were arrested in October last year after a five-year probe.
On Thursday, the committee said it had noted Deputy President Mashatile’s response, among others, that he was waiting for the appraisal of the diamond to determine its value before a declaration was made and that he has since surrendered the gift to the National Prosecuting Authority.
However, the committee contended that ethical behaviour required that the gift be declared, with the value disclosed at a later stage.
The committee found that the Member breached item 13(3)(f) as read with item 16(1)(a)(ii) of the code.
As a result, the committee will recommend to the National Assembly to impose a reprimand in the House and a fine of R10 000 for a first offence of a breach of the code.
The committee said it remains steadfast in its quest to ensure accountability of all Members of Parliament as demanded by the code.
The committee said the disclosure process not only facilitates public trust in Parliament but also enhances its credibility.
