Tell the people what's going on

Tony Yengeni on Thursday pleaded guilty to a charge of defrauding Parliament by failing to disclose gifts received from a bidder in the arms deal.

On Friday, Yengeni took up his seat on the ruling party's benches in Parliament for President Thabo Mbeki's opening speech.

To members of the public listening once more to the President's assurances about corruption, this must have seemed like gross hypocrisy.

Parliament and the ANC have a golden opportunity to show that this is not the case by expelling Yengeni from the House.

Whatever the politicians ultimately decide, the Yengeni verdict represents a victory for accountability.

It shows that newspapers such as the Sunday Times and those who followed up on the story can make a difference by bringing wrongdoing to light.

It shows that even powerful figures who enjoy the support of powerful institutions can be brought to book by dogged, accurate investigative journalism.

It also shows once more that our criminal justice system has the mettle to take on these powerful people and their interests if they are in breach of the law.

But, as Yengeni's appearance in all his finery at the opening of Parliament demonstrates, our leaders are unable to take swift action against one of their own who has strayed. 

With acknowledgements to Hogarth and the Sunday Times.