The ANC is once again in a knot over allegations of non-disclosure of interests by a high-ranking member.

This time the furore centres around Mosiuoa Lekota, the ANC chairperson and defence minister. Lekota admitted on Thursday that he had failed to declare his directorships of companies, a situation that could lead to a possible conflict of interest with the public good.

With opposition parties screaming for Lekota's head, parliament's ethics committee chairperson refused to make any comment on Lekota. "I have no comment. I cannot speak to you," Luwellyn Landers said.

Lekota has admitted that he had failed to disclose a 33 percent share in Presprops (totalling 1169 shares) and a 5 percent share (1209 shares) in BZL Petroleum, which he acquired in 2001. He also did not disclose his directorship of BZL, of Landzicht wine cellar (from 2001), and of GWK (in 2002), a holding company of Landzicht.

BZL boasts a 60 percent market share in the Harrismith and Bethlehem areas. A director of BZL reportedly told Mail & Guardian reporters that they were hoping to clinch a contract with the department of defence and were on the verge of securing a deal with Spoornet but that this had failed. BZL has business premises in Harrismith worth R3 million and sells more than 2 million litres of diesel every month.

Landzicht is a regular supplier of wines to functions of the Free State government. The trade and industry department has reportedly paid 80 percent of the cost of Landzicht's exhibitions in two overseas countries and on the continent. Last year Landzicht exhibited its wines in Moscow at a function organised by the South African embassy.

Douglas Gibson, the DA chief whip, called for Lekota to be fired or to resign. Gibson said that because Lekota was a minister his breach of the code was even more serious. The Freedom Front said a mere apology was not sufficient and the ethics committee should meet to investigate Lekota's conduct.

The ethics committee, which enforces a code for all members of parliament to declare gifts of more than R350 and any directorships or shares they hold in companies, had found itself in the same tight spot over Tony Yengeni, the former ANC chief whip, and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former ANC Women's League president.

The committee, which has a registrar of members' interests, has powers to investigate complaints lodged by a member or to initiate its own investigations.

When Yengeni failed to disclose property in Milnerton, the committee gave him a warning. The committee also recommended a public censure of Madikizela-Mandela by parliament, and the docking of two weeks' salary.

With acknowledgements to Charles Phalane and the Sunday Independent.