Bruce Kannemeyer

Kannemeyer was first elected to the National Assembly in the 1999 general election, representing the ANC in the Western Cape constituency.{{cite magazine |date=11 June 1999 |title=General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures |url=https://gazettes.africa/archive/za/1999/za-government-gazette-dated-1999-06-11-no-20203.pdf |magazine=Government Gazette of South Africa |location=Pretoria, South Africa |publisher=Government of South Africa |volume=408 |issue=20203 |pages= |access-date=26 March 2021}} He served on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Mail & Guardian alleged that he was key in the ANC caucus's efforts to divert the committee's inquiry into the Arms Deal.{{Cite web |date=2002-01-01 |title=Arms and the MPs |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2002-01-01-arms-and-the-mps/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=2002-03-01 |title=Is Smith just doing his job? |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2002-03-01-is-smith-just-doing-his-job/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}

He was re-elected to his legislative seat in April 2004.{{cite magazine |date=20 April 2004 |title=General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004 |url=https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/262770.pdf |magazine=Government Gazette of South Africa |location=Pretoria, South Africa |publisher=Government of South Africa |volume=466 |issue=2677 |pages=4–95 |access-date=26 March 2021}} However, by that time, he was simultaneously working part-time in local government in the Western Cape – he chaired the audit committees in both Boland and Drakenstein{{Cite web |date=2004-08-27 |title=Free lunches... and a mansion with a posh car |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2004-08-27-free-lunches-and-a-mansion-with-posh-car/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} – and on 1 November 2004 he resigned from Parliament to join local government full-time.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-15 |title=National Assembly Members |url=http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514071402/http://www.pmg.org.za/parlinfo/nalist#_ftnref87 |archive-date=14 May 2009 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=Parliamentary Monitoring Group}} Bongani Mkongi filled his seat in the National Assembly.

{{Expand section|Political career after 2006|date=January 2025}}

Kannemeyer became municipal manager at Stellenbosch Local Municipality, which at the time was governed in a coalition between the ANC and New National Party.{{Cite news |date=3 April 2006 |title=Stellenbosch manager a step closer to axe |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/stellenbosch-manager-a-step-closer-to-axe-271822 |access-date=15 April 2023}} While he was still in that position, in January 2006, the Scorpions announced that they intended to prosecute Kannemeyer on criminal charges arising from his tenure in Parliament: he was accused of having defrauded Parliament in the Travelgate saga.{{Cite web |date=2006-01-31 |title=New names added to Travelgate trial list |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-01-31-new-names-added-to-travelgate-trial-list/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}{{Cite web |date=2006-01-31 |title=Travelgate man fights back |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-01-31-travelgate-man-fights-back/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} His first court appearance was on 16 February in the Cape High Court.{{Cite web |date=16 February 2006 |title=Ex-ANC MP on Travelgate rap |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/ex-anc-mp-on-travelgate-rap-20060216 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}

In October 2016, Kannemeyer accepted a plea deal with prosecutors and pled guilty to one count of theft pertaining to R70,000 in unlawfully claimed service benefits. He was sentenced to pay a fine of R40,000 or serve three years' imprisonment, in addition to a mandatory prison sentence of five years suspended conditionally.{{Cite web |date=16 October 2006 |title=National Prosecuting Authority on travel voucher fraud MPs |url=https://www.gov.za/national-prosecuting-authority-travel-voucher-fraud-mps |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=South African Government}} He elected to pay the fine.{{Cite web |date=2006-10-16 |title=Travelgate: 14 plead guilty |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-10-16-travelgate-14-plead-guilty/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}} In the aftermath of his conviction, he acknowledged that he "should have been more alert" to avoid participating in the fraud, and said:

There will be some who will be unforgiving. But I hope people will judge me on the balance of my total contribution – and not just reduce me to the thief the court has made me. I hope there is space to have a second chance.{{Cite news |date=18 October 2006 |title=Don't just write me off, pleads Kannemeyer |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/dont-just-write-me-off-pleads-kannemeyer-298139 |access-date=15 April 2023}}

Kannemeyer died from cancer on 18 January 2025.

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Category:1965 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:Deaths from cancer

Category:African National Congress politicians

Category:South African civil servants

Category:Members of the National Assembly of South Africa 1999–2004