Paul Mashatile Fined for Not Declaring Diamond Gift, SA Is Not Pleased
- Parliament's Ethics Committee has fined Deputy President Paul Mashatile for a gift he did not declare
- He received a diamond gift from Louis Liebenberg, who was arrested for fraud and corruption
- South Africans slammed him, and many believed that he was not the right fit to be a South African president
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliamentary Proceedings, and politician-related news, as well as elections, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.
Source: Getty Images
PARLIAMENT, WESTERN CAPE — Parliament has fined Deputy President Paul Mashatile for failing to declare a gift he received from fraud-accused Louis Liebenberg, who was arrested for operating a multi-billion rand diamond scheme.
According to SABC News, Mashatile was fined R10,000. The Ethics Committee also recommended that the National Assembly formally reprimand him. The Democratic Alliance's Chief Whip, George Michalakis, submitted the complaint in March 2025 after he reviewed Mashatile's declarations.
Mashatile confirmed that he received the gift and handed it over to the National Prosecuting Authority. Mashatile's fine came after he faced public scrutiny over the declaration of a R28.9 million house in Constantia, Cape Town.
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Who is Louis Liebenberg?
Louis Liebenberg, who was an independent candidate in the 2024 general elections in Free State and Gauteng, was arrested on 22 October 2024 after a five-year investigation into an alleged diamond investment scam. He was also accused of running a Ponzi scam.
Mashatile's wife, Humile, received a diamond from Liebenberg, and on 4 December 2024, Briefly News reported that Mashatile's office returned the diamonds after Liebenberg was arrested.
Source: Getty Images
Who else declared in Parliament?
John Steenhuisen, the Minister of Agriculture and the president of the Democratic Alliance, declared 24 bottles of pinotage, a beekeeping suit and a book, a penthouse he is renting in Cape Town, and an African Union-sponsored trip to Uganda.
What did South Africans say?
Netizens commenting on X were fuming.
Patriot Eternal said:
"ANC must do itself a favour and ask some of these characters not to avail themselves for any leadership position going forward."
Pearl Lihle Lushozi said:
"All ANC members in Parliament are guilty as charged, and their president is worse."
Erna Westdyk said:
The fact that Paul Mashatile mixes with criminals and receives expensive gifts from them speaks volumes."
Willem Thulani asked:
"Who's clean in the ANC mara?"
Zuma Zombies said:
"South Africa must reject this one not to be our president."
Paul Mashatile's Japan trip raised eyebrows
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Mashatile was criticized for the amount of money spent on his trip to Japan. Mashatile and his entourage incurred a cost of R2.3 million to the state.
Mashatile went to the Asian country between 16 and 19 March 2025 for a diplomatic trip. Accommodation cost R965,000 for Mashatile and his wife, Humile, and flights cost R117,000, among other expenses.
Source: Briefly News
