Order! Hon members, in pursuance of claims in an article published in February this year, the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests proceeded to investigate a complaint against Mrs Yolanda Rachel Botha, MP.
Upon completing its investigation, the committee charged Ms Botha and found her guilty, in the first instance, of not disclosing benefits of a material nature, as required by item 7(g) of the Code of Conduct for Assembly and Permanent Council members.
Mrs Botha was also found guilty on a second charge, namely that she had, in the course of the committee's deliberation, wilfully misled the committee about the value of the benefits she received. The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests recommended two penalties in its report, and those penalties have now been agreed to by the House.
The first penalty constitutes a reprimand in terms of item 19(a) of the Code of Conduct, which I will now proceed to deliver. Will the member please rise?
The member standing, the Speaker administered a reprimand to her, in the following terms: