Suspended Zama CEO Mcebisi Mlonzi has been named by former African National Congress (ANC) chief whip Tony Yengeni as his main benefactor in this year's register of members' interests in Parliament.

In terms of the code of conduct for MPs, parliamentarians are obliged to disclose gifts, benefits, sponsorships and financial interests worth more than R350.

Yengeni has also disclosed that he has 5-million shares in Zama, the forestry company which has been embroiled in an alleged bribing scandal.

Mlonzi was suspended after reports that he had paid company funds to Andile Nkuhlu the head of a public enterprises government committee, which recommended that Zama get a R335m forestry deal.

Media reports earlier this year that Mlonzi had also paid for Yengeni's newspaper advertisements and that he was bankrolling Yengeni's legal costs saw a complaint lodged with the registrar of members' interests by the Democratic Alliance. However, the complaint was found to be premature as the this year's members' interests register had not been finalised.

Yesterday, this year's register was made public. Under sponsorships, Yengeni names Mlonzi as the man who paid R317 000 for an advertisement placed in newspapers in a bid to clear his name.

The advertisements, which appeared in four Sunday newspapers, came after many Sunday Times reports on how Yengeni had received a huge discount on a luxury 4x4 luxury vehicle from an arms company. Yengeni, and the former MD of the arms company, Michael Woerfel, are now standing trial on charges of corruption and fraud.

Yengeni also names Mlonzi as the source of his trial fees and expenses, but does not give a figure, saying that the court case is continuing. The Sunday Times reported in July that Zama agreed to pay Yengeni's legal bills without the approval of many of its shareholders. Invoices for legal services rendered to Yengeni were sent to Zama's Cape Town offices.

Elsewhere in the register, ANC MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who was found guilty by the ethics committee last month of not disclosing her interests in, among other things, the Winnie Mandela Family Museum, appears to have again failed to disclose her interests.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal, Sapa and Business Day.