Randy Pieterse

Randy Desmond Pieterse (born 17 April 1956) is a South African politician and former trade unionist who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2009, serving the Western Cape constituency. He is a former provincial leader of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in the Western Cape. In 2006, he was convicted of stealing from Parliament in the Travelgate scandal.

Randy Pieterse
Member of the National Assembly
In office
June 1999 – May 2009
ConstituencyWestern Cape
Personal details
Born
Randy Desmond Pieterse

(1956-04-17) 17 April 1956
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress

Early life and career

Born on 17 April 1956,[1] Pieterse was formerly the head of the Western Cape branch of Cosatu.[2]

Legislative career: 1999–2009

He joined the National Assembly in the 1999 general election[1] and served two terms in his seat, gaining re-election in 2004.[3] He served the Western Cape constituency. Though he stood for re-election in the 2009 general election, he was ranked tenth on the ANC's party list for the Western Cape and narrowly failed to win a seat.[4]

Travelgate

In August 2004, the Scorpions named Pieterse as among the numerous MPs who were under investigation for possible abuse of parliamentary air-travel vouchers, in what became known as Travelgate. Pieterse had allegedly allowed friends to use his vouchers at Parliament's expense.[2] In October 2006, he signed a plea deal with the Scorpions, in terms of which he pled guilty to theft in the Cape High Court.[5] The theft concerned an amount of R60,000 in service benefits and he was sentenced to pay a fine of R25,000 or serve three years' imprisonment; he was also sentenced to a mandatory five years' imprisonment, suspended conditionally.[6]

According to IOL, Pieterse was viewed as an example of a junior ANC MP who had been "'sacrificed' at the expense of the 'bigger fish'" who had not been prosecuted for their involvement.[7] Speaking to his colleagues in the Portfolio Committee on Communications after his conviction, Pieterse said that he did not hold any grudges, saying, "I am not angry at anybody. I am angry at myself. I should have been more careful. I had to pay R25 000 for my lesson. I hope others can get the lesson free just by observing what I have done."[7] However, he said that he would challenge any decision by the party or Parliament to remove him from his seat, since "My intention was never to defraud Parliament".[8] He was not removed from his seat, but he and other convicted MPs received a formal reprimand from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, in March 2007.[9]

References
  1. "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. "Have vouchers, will travel". The Mail & Guardian. 20 August 2004. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  3. "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  4. "Electoral commission lists new MPs and MPLs". The Mail & Guardian. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  5. "Travelgate: 14 plead guilty". The Mail & Guardian. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. "National Prosecuting Authority on travel voucher fraud MPs". South African Government. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  7. "I am not angry at anybody – Pieterse". IOL. 18 October 2006. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  8. "Travelgate accused to fight decision to fire". IOL. 8 February 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. "Parly reprimands Travelgate MPs". News24. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
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