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

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

Mapisa-Nqakula said after a caucus meeting on Thursday that Yengeni had applied for and was granted long leave "to prepare for his trial and reflect on what has happened".

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

Yengeni's salary has 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.

Part of the leave included the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

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

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 Cape Argus.