African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni has been summonsed by the Blaauwberg administration for the non-payment of R3 281,89 in rates and a further R84,78 in interest.

The Blaauwberg administration, which is now part of the Cape Town Unicity, instructed its lawyers to issue the summons against Yengeni on February 19 this year after a registered letter of demand sent to him at the end of November last year was not answered.

This was confirmed by Johan Smit, media representative for the city's mayor, Peter Marais.

It is understood that by March 28 further arrears of R2 214,23 had accumulated for the property, Erf 18250, Fitzpatrick Road, Tygerhof, which is registered in the name of TS Yengeni, but this is being addressed through the normal credit control process. However, the water account for Yengeni's property is in credit at present.

Yengeni's representative, Dennis Cruywagen, said he had no comment.

Meanwhile, Die Burger reported this week that Lumka Yengeni, the chief whip's wife, resigned a few years ago as a lieutenant in the South African National Defence Force after an investigation in connection with the alleged misuse of a military vehicle.

The newspaper said it was believed she was given the option of resigning or facing a military tribunal.

Shortly after her resignation, she was appointed as a deputy manager in Swartklip, a division of Denel that makes specialist ammunition.

On Wednesday, Yengeni finally submitted a response to Parliament's joint committee on ethics and members' interests on queries about his acquisition of a R385 000 Mercedes 4x4 and his alleged failure to declare his use of the vehicle for seven months without payment.

The committee asked him to respond to the claims after an official complaint over his alleged failure to comply with Parliament's code of ethics was submitted by the Democratic Alliance's chief whip, Douglas Gibson. However, the contents of Yengeni's letter to the committee will not be released.

Committee chair Sister Bernard Ncube said the contents of his response "will remain strictly embargoed until the registrar [Fezela Mahomed] has completed her follow-up processes and procedures as laid down by the Procedure for Investigation".

 With acknowledgment to Barry Streek and the Mail & Guardian.