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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the fact that Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele has returned the R1.1-million Mercedes-Benz and other gifts that were sent to him by a firm that had received contracts from his former provincial department.

Though it is regrettable that it took intense media scrutiny and pressure from opposition parties for Mr. Ndebele to return the vehicles, we are nonetheless pleased that he has decided to do so.

However, if reports are accurate that Mr. Ndebele was told by President Zuma that he need not return the car, but that he ought just declare it, then this is a real disappointment. President Zuma has missed an opportunity to set the correct tone for his administration by ensuring that special favours for a well connected governing elite are not tolerated. Clearly the gifts received by Minister Ndebele were problematic, and it is disappointing that it was left to the Minister to decide whether or not to hand back the gifts.