Mnyamezeli Booi

**Mnyamezeli Shedrack "Nyami" Booi** (wey dem born insyd 15 October 1958) be South African politician wey represent African National Congress (ANC) insyd de National Assembly from 1994 till 2019. During dat period, he serve as Chief Whip of de Majority Party from October 2008 go April 2009 plus as Chairperson for de Portfolio Committee on Defence plus Military Veterans from June 2009 go October 2010.

Mnyamezeli Shedrack "Nyami" Booi be former anti-apartheid activist wey serve insyd ANC National Executive Committee between 2007 plus 2012. Insyd 2009, dem convict am for fraud wey relate to Travelgate scandal, plus insyd 2019, Parliament reprimand am for breaching demma rules wey dey govern de disclosure of external financial interests.

## Early life den activism
Booi wey dem born insyd 15 October 1958 involve einself insyd anti-apartheid activism during ein youth, first through South African Students' Movement wey align plus Black Consciousness philosophy, plus later through ANC underground; dem detain am for ein political activities. Ein brother be Fumanekile "Fatty" Booi, wey sana involve insyd ANC during apartheid plus later turn prominent figure insyd Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association.

## Legislative career
Booi first win seat for ANC insyd National Assembly for South Africa ein general election insyd 1994, de first one wey get universal suffrage. During ein third term for Parliament insyd December 2007, ANC ein 52nd National Conference elect Booi for five-year term insyd de party ein National Executive Committee; by de number of votes wey he get, he rank 41st from de 80 ordinary members wey dem elect.

### Majority Chief Whip: 2008–2009
Mnyamezeli Shedrack "Nyami" Booi get appointment insyd 23 October 2008 as Chief Whip for de Majority Party insyd National Assembly wey ANC announce. He take over from Nathi Mthethwa wey move go cabinet, plus Gratitude Magwanishe dey deputise am. He hold de position till April 2009 general election wey Mathole Motshekga replace am.

### Travelgate conviction: 2009
Opposition Democratic Alliance challenge Booi ein appointment as Chief Whip because that time he dey face criminal charges wey relate to Travelgate scandal. Booi be one from about 30 Members of Parliament wey dem accuse say dem collab plus private travel agencies to defraud Parliament plus use parliamentary travel vouchers claim illegal benefits. Dem charge am plus fraud wey concern multiple transactions wey total R140,000, all from ein second term insyd Parliament between 1999 plus 2004.

Booi make ein first court appearance insyd Cape Town Regional Court insyd February 2005. He maintain say he innocent plus he be de only Member of Parliament for de case wey refuse to enter plea bargain plus de Scorpions. But later insyd September 2009, he accept plea bargain wey make am plead guilty to theft. De court fine am R50,000 or five years' imprisonment, plus mandatory one-year prison sentence wey dem conditionally suspend for five years. He admit say he wrongly use parliamentary travel vouchers — wey dem mark only for air-travel expenses — for R92,000 car rentals plus R20,000 hotel accommodation.

### Defence Committee Chair: 2009–2010
Insyd 2009 general election, Booi win ein seat back as Member of Parliament, dem put am 69th for ANC national party list. ANC talk say dem go nominate am make he chair Parliament ein Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. He do dat work from June 2009 go October 2010. While he dey do dat work, he get public wahala with Lindiwe Sisulu, wey be Minister of Defence and Military Veterans under President Jacob Zuma. De committee talk say dem want make one report wey interim National Defence Force commission do go Parliament side, but Sisulu no gree.

ANC support Sisulu, den on 18 November 2010, dem talk say dem go tell dem people for Parliament make dem vote Booi commot from chairperson position. ANC Deputy Secretary-General Thandi Modise tell media say de party "no dey impressed with the way de committee and de minister dey drag matter. We no dey happy with how de committee dey work plus how e lose focus from de main job wey dem give dem."

### Ethics inquiry: 2017–2019
After dem convict Booi for Travelgate matter plus remove am from committee chairperson position, he win ein seat back for Parliament for 2014 general election; dem first put am 119th for ANC national party list but dem later move am up after Dina Pule commot her name. For de legislative term wey come after, Booi serve as ANC whip for de Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Dem still investigate Booi for long time inside Parliament ein ethics committee. De investigation start mid-2017 after Democratic Alliance member James Lorimer report am for Parliament say he no talk about money wey he get from work wey no be Parliament work. Dem say Booi be consultant for Lurco Coal, one private company, from late 2015. Booi no deny say he do de consultancy work, but he talk say Parliamentary rules no talk make he disclose dat contract inside 2016. He also talk say e no get conflict of interest. But when dem start de investigation, Booi talk say he regret say he no disclose am, say e be oversight. For March 2019, just some weeks before legislative term finish, Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests find Booi guilty under parliamentary rules; dem recommend say make National Assembly reprimand am plus make he pay fine wey be 45 days ein salary.

Booi do not stand for re-election to Parliament insyd de 2019 general election.

## References



## External links
* Mr Mnyamezeli Shedrack Booi at People's Assembly
* 2017 video interview at Parliament of South Africa