SA ex-MPs plead guilty to fraud

CAPE TOWN – Another two former South African MPs pleaded guilty on Tuesday to defrauding parliament allowances, bringing to 16 the number of current and former legislators who have agreed plea bargains in the scandal.

Lead prosecutor Jannie van Vuuren said the two were ordered to pay a fine of 25 000 rand or spend three years in prison. Twenty-three current and former MPs, mostly from the ruling African National Congress, as well as a number of travel agents, faced criminal charges after defrauding parliament of millions of rands in bogus travel vouchers and hotel costs.The convictions follow several corruption cases to hit the ANC, whose former chief whip Tony Yengeni quit in 2003 after he was given a four-year jail sentence for graft.President Thabo Mbeki fired his deputy Jacob Zuma last year after he was implicated in the fraud and corruption trial of a former financial adviser.Zuma was himself later charged, although those charges were thrown out of court.Van Vuuren said more MPs were expected to come forward and strike deals with the National Prosecuting Authority before the next court date on November 14.”We are talking to the travel agents as well,” he said.Nampa-ReutersTwenty-three current and former MPs, mostly from the ruling African National Congress, as well as a number of travel agents, faced criminal charges after defrauding parliament of millions of rands in bogus travel vouchers and hotel costs.The convictions follow several corruption cases to hit the ANC, whose former chief whip Tony Yengeni quit in 2003 after he was given a four-year jail sentence for graft.President Thabo Mbeki fired his deputy Jacob Zuma last year after he was implicated in the fraud and corruption trial of a former financial adviser.Zuma was himself later charged, although those charges were thrown out of court.Van Vuuren said more MPs were expected to come forward and strike deals with the National Prosecuting Authority before the next court date on November 14.”We are talking to the travel agents as well,” he said.Nampa-Reuters