Msomi Not Guilty Of Any Misconduct

MEDIA STATEMENT RELEASED BY:
MR KOOS VAN DER MERWE MP
IFP CHIEF WHIP

March 23, 2007

Mr Mandla Msomi, ex-IFP Member of Parliament, currently a businessman, has called on me, as his former Chief Whip, for assistance having taken notice of public allegations by Ms Patricia de Lille MP and Mr Pieter Groenewald MP, where Mr Msomi's name was mentioned amongst the names of some 29 persons who have allegedly acquired motor vehicles from EADS at undue discounts, and that possible criminal charges are to be investigated against the 29 persons.

Mr Msomi wishes to publicly state that he acquired no undue benefit as alleged.

On behalf of Mr Msomi I wish to refer to the decision by the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests of Parliament on 17 September 2002. The Committee investigated these allegations against Mr Msomi and unanimously found that he did not derive a benefit as defined in the Parliamentary Code of Conduct.

Consequently the Committee found that there was no prima facie case against Mr Msomi and he was dismissed. The minutes of the Committee's unanimous decision are available.

It goes without saying that Mr Msomi's integrity and reputation may now have been harmed and he is consulting his lawyers in this respect.

In view of these facts, and particularly because Mr Msomi is no longer a public figure, and having been found not guilty of any wrongdoing, I trust that Mr Msomi will now be left in peace.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr Koos van der Merwe MP: 082 444 4944
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470