National Assembly Speaker Frene Ginwala has suspended ACDP deputy president Louis Green from parliament's ethics committee for disclosing details of the committee's investigation into Deputy President Jacob Zuma's financial affairs.

The committee is investigating three complaints against Zuma, including an allegation that he failed to declare his business interests and benefits received in contravention of parliament's code of conduct.

Parliament's investigation stems from a complaint made by the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions that Zuma had allegedly received gifts or benefits worth more than R1 million from his friend and financial adviser Schabir Shaik or businesses connected to Shaik without declaring them.

Green issued a statement after Monday's meeting of the committee saying that "many of the documents supporting Zuma's claims ... were only recently drawn up".

Members of the committee take an oath not to divulge confidential matters of the committee.

The chairman of the committee, Lluwellyn Landers, said an ad hoc committee would have to investigate Green's breach of parliament's regulations and the penalty to be imposed.

With acknowledgements to the Parliamentary Bureau and the Cape Times.