DA to report Gwede Mantashe to parliament over 'alleged bribery admission'

The DA has announced it will report minister of minerals and energy Gwede Mantashe to parliament's ethics committee for his alleged admission that he paid a R70,000 bribe to two journalists.

This comes after Sunday World  at the weekend reported about Mantashe's alleged infidelity. The story also contained what was attributed as the minster's response in which he claimed to have paid the publication's journalists to bury the story.

In a statement, the DA argued that Mantashe's comments were an admission to partaking in bribery, adding that "it is clearly an admission of guilt for which he needs to be held accountable".

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The official opposition believes Mantashe was in breach of the parliamentarians' code of ethical conduct and disclosure of members' interests of parliament.

"This section states that members must 'by virtue of the oath or affirmation of allegiance taken by all elected members, uphold the law; act on all occasions in accordance with the public trust placed in them; [and] maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of parliament and thereby engender the respect and confidence that society needs to have in parliament as a representative institution'," said the DA's shadow minister of energy and minerals, Kevin Mileham.

"As members of parliament, ministers must be held to a high standard and must provide ethical leadership to the people they serve.

"By admitting to paying off two journalists, the minister did not act in accordance with the public trust placed in him, nor did he maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of parliament."

Mileham said Mantashe may also be in trouble with the general law of corruption for contravening provisions of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.