News24.com | Expensive cutlery, cellphones, tea bags and sheep: just some of the gifts MPs declared in 2022

The 2022 register of MPs' interests reveals which MPs received the best gifts.

• Parliamentarians are being spoilt with gifts and sponsorships.
• The 2022 register of MPs' interests reveals which MPs received the best gifts.
• Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni received a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Watch Active.

A hand-made watch from an inmate, a set of tea mugs, and a cap from the Chinese.

These were just some of the gifts South Africa’s lawmakers received in 2022. Parliament released the list of members' interests this week where MPs are required to declare properties, shareholding, gifts and other perks they received. 

Justice Minister Ronald Lamola received a hand-made wall watch from an inmate incarcerated at a prison in Kimberley, in the Northern Cape.

He also received two books from the Chinese government, a wall-painted picture from the attorney-general of Bangladesh, and a "symbolic elephant" from the minister of justice and prison reforms in Sri Lanka.

Lamola also received a bottle of wine and two bottles of Glenfiddich whisky from Chinese multinational technology giant Huawei.

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Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale received Chinese police cap insignias and Chinese tea bags while attending Interpol's 90th general assembly in India last year.

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni received a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and Galaxy Watch Active from the board management at Telkom. At R35 000, the devices are worth a bit more than tea bags. 

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga received several gifts from schools, as well as perfume from Qatar’s ambassador and Chinese tea from the Chinese ambassador.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande received sheep to the value of R5 000 from a traditional leader in Mpumalanga.

EFF leader Julius Malema had very little to declare. Other than being a director at Mgagao Shamba PTY (Ltd), Malema declared a set of tea mugs he received from the Chinese embassy and a bottle of Grandeur Gin from podcaster MacG.

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Malema’s deputy, Floyd Shivambu, declared only a 991m² property in Gauteng.

DA leader John Steenhuisen declared gifts of Le Creuset mugs from the Taiwan liaison office, and tickets to the Rugby Sevens World Cup he received from Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

The Brenthurst Foundation also sponsored Steenhuisen’s international trips to the Republic of Somaliland, Kenya and Ukraine.

The same foundation also paid for DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube’s trip and accommodation to Italy.

Gwarube’s travel and accommodation to attend the Women in Political Leadership Conference in Germany was sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.