Cape Town - Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni has been granted paid long leave from parliament pending his trial on corruption and fraud charges, his successor Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said on Thursday.

Yengeni opted to remain an ordinary MP after he resigned as chief whip in October 2001.

Mapisa-Nqakula told reporters after a caucus meeting on Thursday that Yengeni had applied for long leave.

"Comrade Tony needed time to prepare for his trial and perhaps he also needed time to reflect on what has happened. When, therefore, he requested to be given leave, the organisation did not question that. It was proper for him."

Asked how long the leave would last, she said the issue was under constant review.

Yengeni's salary dropped from R378 804 a year to a backbencher's pay of R302 280 after his resignation.

ANC media spokesperson Mike Ramogoma said Yengeni had been on leave since his resignation in October. However, part of the leave also included the Christmas and New Year holiday period for all parliamentarians.

MPs went on constituency leave from November 17 to December 14 last year and were then officially on holiday from December 15 to January 11, 2002.

"Those months were not considered to be part of his leave," Ramogoma said.

The Inkatha Freedom Party's Mandla Msomi has also been on paid leave since late last year when his party suspended him pending an inquiry by parliament's ethics committee into claims that he received discounted vehicles through a company that benefited.

He is currently working in the party's head office.

The Democratic Alliance's Richard Pillay was suspended with full pay for several months pending an internal disciplinary inquiry. He has since returned to Parliament after he was found not guilty.

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