By Ashley Smith, Jeremy Michaels and Angela Quintal
The Scorpions plan to sting more MPs after the submission of 23 names of parliamentarians wanted for questioning in connection with a multi-million-rand travel scam estimated at R16-million.
Scorpions spokesperson Sipho Ngwema told Independent Newspapers on Wednesday night: "This is the first group of people we want to talk to. There will be more."
Chief whips of the African National Congress, Democratic Alliance and New National Party were called in by parliament's presiding officers on Wednesday and given a list of names of their MPs implicated in the scam.
Only the DA was prepared to publicly name its MP: Craig Morkel. It urged other parties to be equally transparent.
"The only way to restore parliament's reputation is to be totally open," DA chief whip Douglas Gibson said.
The DA vowed to suspend Morkel if he was prosecuted - and it said that if Morkel was convicted, his membership of parliament and the party would be terminated.
Morkel said he had immediately contacted the Scorpions and made an appointment to see them on Thursday morning.
"I was advised I would be allowed to bring a lawyer along."
Morkel has acknowledged he is liable for R33 000 worth of travel, which he has been paying back to the liquidators of the ITC Travel Agency in monthly instalments of R2 900 since December 2003. His bill at ITC included the hire of an Audi TT at R17 000 for a week - "and other far cheaper cars, as well as business upgrades on flights to Johannesburg".
"From the outset," added Morkel, "I have maintained that travel items of a personal nature, which parliament should definitely not have paid for, were for my account and should have been invoiced to me or defrayed against my Voyager miles."
The ANC's highest decision-making body in parliament, its political committee, met behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
With the largest number of MPs in parliament, the ANC also has the highest number of MPs implicated in the scam.
Individual MPs were called to ANC chief whip Mbulelo Goniwe's office and informed they were wanted for questioning by the Scorpions.
The issue was to be discussed at the party's caucus meeting on Thursday morning.
ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said his party would not release names as this was the responsibility of the National Prosecuting Authority.
"We can't do that. It's a legal issue and a process that is unfolding. If they are found to be innocent and we are found to have disclosed their names, they could sue us.
"We'll be talking to the individuals concerned to inform them that they need to co-operate fully with investigators to ensure the process runs smoothly. They will have to subject themselves to the process of investigation."
However, Ngonyama could not say whether MPs would be suspended if they were charged. Former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni took a lengthy leave of absence when he was charged with fraud in relation to a discounted luxury 4x4 he had received from a company with an interest in the arms deal.
Ngonyama said the ANC believed the 19 names submitted to it constituted a final list, but it would co-operate if more names were forwarded.
The NNP said on Wednesday it too would not release names, also fearing legal action. Of the three names it has received, one is understood to be that of an MP who defected to the DA, although the investigation relates to when the person was still an NNP member. Another is a former NNP MP and the third is a sitting member.
Sources close to the investigation confirmed that the list of 23 was only provisional and related to only two of six travel agencies implicated.
The MPs on the provisional list were only those who dealt with Business and Executive Travel and with ITC. The other four agencies implicated are Star Travel Bureau, Bathong Travel, Ilitha Travel and Tours, and Eyabanthu.
It is also Independent Newspapers' understanding that between 15 and 20 MPs who dealt with ITC have signed acknowledgement of debt forms, promising to repay parliament for unauthorised travel.
A source said parliament had already recovered hundreds of thousands of rands. Those implicated MPs who used Business and Executive have not yet been given the option of signing acknowledgement of debt forms.
So far, four travel agency bosses and three staff members have been arrested in connection with the alleged multimillion-rand travel scam, which was said to have included fake air tickets being created to claim for car hire and travel for MPs.
At least 10 MPs who used the ITC Travel Agency are said to owe parliament in excess of R30 000 each - DA MP Craig Morkel among them.
And during liquidation hearings into the affairs of Business and Executive Travel, several MPs have been called to testify. It could not be confirmed whether they are among those on the initial list of 23 names of parliamentarians wanted for questioning in connection with the alleged scam.
Those who testified include:
- Randy Pieterse, ANC MP It is alleged he gave his pre-signed booklet of travel vouchers to Business and Executive Travel;
- Mnyamezeli Booi, ANC MP He alleged he was told by Business and Executive Travel owner Soraya Beukes it was possible for MPs to claim back from parliament for hired cars. It is alleged, among other things, that parliament was billed for a holiday for Booi and his family. Toward the end of his evidence at a liquidation hearing, Booi said "the goings-on" in terms of unauthorised travel in parliament was "like The Bold and the Beautiful";
- Patrick Chauke, ANC MP and chairperson of the home affairs committee in the National Assembly. He has been mentioned at the liquidation hearings of Business and Executive as having allegedly claimed - through the travel agency - for hundreds of thousands of rands worth of unauthorised travel and hotel stays. It is further alleged he owes Business and Executive Travel about R100 000 for unpaid travel costs;
- Sophia Maine, ANC MP It was alleged in liquidation hearings that she chalked up more than R200 000 worth of unauthorised car hire and hotel stays. She claimed she had been told by her travel agency that she could claim;
- Bathabile Dlamini, former ANC MP and secretary-general of the ANC Women's League. It was alleged in Business and Executive Travel's liquidation hearing that she chalked up R330 000 worth of illegal travel. She alleged a staff member of Business and Executive Travel had "come to parliament to recruit" MPs for the agency;
- Jonathan Doneley Arendse, ANC MP He alleged in the liquidation hearings that it was his understanding he could claim for road journeys using his vouchers. It is alleged he chalked up unauthorised car hire worth R200 000. He said he knew nothing about alleged bogus tickets.