 However, after strenuous objection from various quarters, the ANC's MPs passed the bill, with proposed amendments, in the National Council of Provinces in December.Another controversial issue into which Motlanthe was unwittingly dragged into was the Iran helicopter deal, which was published in the "Sunday Times" in March 2012.The paper stated that Gugu Mtshali, Motlanthe's partner, was involved in a 104 million rand bribe to obtain support for a South African company that was attempting to sell helicopters to Iran in violation of sanctions.