Cape Town - Parliament's law advisers have been asked whether the joint ethics committee can continue its inquiry into ANC former chief whip Tony Yengeni's failure to disclose a substantial discount in the register of member's interests as he is no longer an MP.

National Assembly speaker Dr Frene Ginwala told the National Assembly's programme committee she was not sure what the position was and had asked for legal opinion.

"We must also find out the committee's view," she told MPs.

Yengeni quit his seat in the National Assembly on Wednesday amid mounting pressure from within his party.

Last month, he pleaded guilty to fraud relating to a 47% discount he received in 1998 on a luxury 4X4 Mercedes Benz ML320 from the then-head of a company involved in the arms deal. He is to be sentenced later this month.

Ethics hearing postponed

In a special statement to the house in March 2001, Yengeni claimed he had bought the vehicle legitimately and it had not been necessary to disclose it in the register of member's interests.

However, his subsequent acknowledgement in court that he had unlawfully, and with intent to defraud, failed to disclose the discount, saw the ethics committee re-opening its inquiry.

It was to have met on Wednesday, but postponed its hearing the day before until March 14 because committee members were not available.

Committee chairman Luwellyn Landers was in a caucus meeting on Thursday and was not immediately available for comment.

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