Travelgate (South Africa)

Travelgate was one of the first major political corruption scandals in post-apartheid South Africa. It implicated over 30 Members of Parliament (MPs) as accomplices and beneficiaries in a large-scale fraud scheme, under which Parliament unknowingly recompensed MPs and private travel agencies for millions of rands in fictitious travel expenses. The Sunday Times broke the story in July 2004.^[1]

The fraud itself revolved around travel vouchers which MPs were granted for covering work-related air travel expenses. These took the form of travel warrants which MPs could use to pay travel agencies for air tickets; travel agents were able to claim payment from Parliament against the warrants.^[2] MPs and travel agents colluded to fill out fraudulent travel warrants and bill Parliament for air tickets that were never purchased (or that had been purchased but cancelled and refunded). The money paid by Parliament was kept by the agencies, who transferred some of it to MPs in the form of cash or bookings for car hire or luxury hotel accommodation. In the latter case, MPs were able to duplicate future expense claims to Parliament, for example by claiming mileage expenses on their vehicles while in fact using hired vehicles paid for by the travel agency.^[3]

The Scorpions, an elite unit of the National Prosecuting Authority, initiated a large-scale investigation which involved questioning 135 MPs, and PricewaterhouseCoopers was contracted to assist with forensic accounting.^[1] The first criminal charges were laid against MPs in January 2005.^[1] By 2010, 31 MPs, and several travel agents, had pled guilty to charges against them; none of the cases went to trial.^[4][5] Several resigned.^[6]

List of criminal convictions

The following is a partial list of the MPs who pled guilty of fraud or theft charges in connection with Travelgate. They were sentenced to fines and suspended prison sentences. The majority of the convicted MPs were from the governing African National Congress (ANC), but a handful belonged to the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) and New National Party (NNP).^[7]

Member of Parliament	Party	Conviction	Conviction date	Fine in rands	Citation
Ruth Bhengu	ANC	Fraud	2005/04	R45,000	[8]
Mnyamezeli Booi	ANC	Theft	2009/09	R50,000	[9]
Bathabile Dlamini	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R120,000	[10]
Beauty Dlulane	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R120,000	[10]
Ndleleni Duma	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R30,000	[10]
Rhoda Joemat	ANC	Fraud	2005/03	R80,000	[11]
Bruce Kannemeyer	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R40,000	[10]
Tsietsi Louw	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R60,000	[10]
Mavis Magazi	ANC	Fraud	2005/03	R60,000	[11]
Douglas Maimane	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R25,000	[12]
Sophie Maine	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R100,000	[10]
Nono Maloyi	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R60,000	[10]
Pamela Mnandi	ANC	Fraud	2005/03	R40,000	[11]
Garth Mngomezulu	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R100,000	[10]
Lewele Modisenyane	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R25,000	[10]
Angie Molebatsi	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R25,000	[12]
Craig Morkel	DA	Fraud	2006/12	R25,000	[13]
Mildred Mpaka	ANC	Fraud	2005/03	R80,000	[11]
John Ncinane	ANC	Fraud	2005/04	R80,000	[8]
Elizabeth Ngaleka	ANC	Theft	2006/12	R20,000	[13]
Robert Nogumla	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R90,000	[10]
Danny Oliphant	ANC	Fraud	2006/12	R30,000	[13]
Randy Pieterse	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R25,000	[10]
Charles Redcliffe	DA	Fraud	2006/07	R70,000	[14]
Rodney Rhoda	NNP	Fraud	2005/04	R30,000	[15]
Alice Sigcawu	ANC	Theft	2006/10	R50,000	[10]
Bangilizwe Solo	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R100,000	[10]
Jabu Sosibo	ANC	Fraud	2006/12	R100,000	[13]
Tseko Taabe	ANC	Fraud	2005/03	R40,000	[11]
Barbara Thomson	ANC	Fraud	2006/10	R90,000	[10]

References

1. Meldrum, Andrew (2005-01-24). "40 accused in South African MPs' fraud case". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
2. "Beukes to blow the lid off 'travelgate' scam". IOL. 7 December 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
3. "Travelgate: Evidence of huge new fraud". The Mail & Guardian. 2006-01-27. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
4. "Last travelgate accused pleads guilty". Sunday Times. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
5. "'Travelgate' saga finally ends". IOL. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
6. Pressly, Donwald (23 June 2005). "'Travelgate' MPs resign". News24. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
7. "Travelgate accused appear in court again". The Mail & Guardian. 2005-09-12. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
8. "Travelgate: 2 MPs plead guilty". News24. 4 April 2005. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
9. "Travelgate MP Booi pleads guilty to theft". The Mail & Guardian. 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
10. "Travelgate: 14 plead guilty". The Mail & Guardian. 2006-10-16. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
11. "First MPs convicted of Travelgate fraud". The Mail & Guardian. 2005-03-18. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
12. "Travelgate: 'Some less equal than others'". The Mail & Guardian. 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
13. "Two more MPs fined in Travelgate scam". The Mail & Guardian. 2006-12-16. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
14. "Travelgate: R70 000 fine imposed". The Mail & Guardian. 2006-07-27. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
15. Jordaan, Willem (1 April 2005). "Travel scam: NNP man sentenced". News24. Retrieved 2023-05-15.