praag.co.uk

MEDIA RELEASE

SUBJECT : WRONG IMPRESSION BEING CREATED WITH REGARD TO THE DECLARATION OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS

ISSUED BY : Dr. Pieter Mulder

CAPACITY : Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Today’s media reports with regards to ministers and deputy ministers who had failed to declare their interests, creates the impression that my private interests had not been declared on time. This is not true. The declaration of my assets and interests was submitted to Parliament within the prescribed period. The information was published by Parliament and is still available for general perusal.

It is expected of ministers and deputy ministers to declare his/her assets and interests within 60 days following his/her appointment to determine whether there is any conflict of interests. I was appointed in May 2009 and at the end of June 2009, within 60 days of my appointment submitted a list of my assets and interests to Parliament.

On 29 October 2009 the Presidency informed my office that the form also has to be submitted to the Presidency. On 30 October 2009 I submitted a list of my interests (as it had been submitted on the 29^th June 2009 to Parliament) to the Presidency.

I was under the impression that the submitting of a list of interests and assets was sufficient. The identical nature of the two forms contributed to the misunderstanding.

My interests were a matter of public record on 29 June 2009 and at that point already it could have been determined that there was no conflict of interests. Because the interests which are declared to Parliament are made available for public scrutiny it is in practice most probably still the best method of control of the conflict of interests of members.

DR. PIETER MULDER

Contact no.: 082 467 6670