Cape Town - Inkatha Freedom Party MP, Mandla Msomi, appeared before a panel of parliament's ethics committee on Thursday to answer claims that he failed to disclose substantial discounts on two luxury vehicles bought from a defence company.

A seven-member panel - the same that was tasked to quiz ANC MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela on an unrelated matter - began sitting from 14:30 and adjourned at 17:30 without finalising the matter.

Unlike Madikizela-Mandela, Msomi is understood to have co-operated with the committee, and arrived at the hearing as scheduled with his representative, IFP MP Farouk Cassim.

The committee previously thanked Msomi for providing it with all the relevant information to assist its work.

The IFP effectively suspended Msomi with full pay late last year and moved him to its headquarters in KwaZulu-Natal, pending the hearing. However, nearly a year since the complaint was first lodged, the case has yet to be finalised.

Msomi was the chairperson of the National Assembly's public enterprises committee at the time the discounts were allegedly received from Michael Woerfel, the suspended head of the defence company, Eads.

Woerfel, along with former ANC Chief Whip Tony Yengeni, will go on trial later this year on charges of corruption and fraud.

Following newspaper reports in July last year that Msomi was among a host of VIPs who had received discounted vehicles from Eads, the UDM and the DA reported the matter to the ethics committee.

Msomi has consistently maintained his innocence, saying the two vehicles were bought second-hand and that no substantial discounts were received.

It was therefore unnecessary to disclose anything in the register of members' interests.

It is understood that the panel wants more information to establish whether Msomi had prior use of the vehicles before it was sold as a second hand vehicle. The hearing will continue at a later date once the necessary information is received.

There was no armed police to keep reporters at bay, as was the case on Wednesday when Madikizela-Mandela failed to appear before the committee.

The proceedings remain confidential until the committee tables its report to Parliament, within seven days of finalising its inquiry.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and www.news24.co.za