Mduduzi Manana replaced by a woman in parliament

In a statement on Tuesday, the ANC’s chief whip, Jackson Mthembu, announced several new names who will be representing the ruling party in parliament as MPs. They were sworn in as members in the House today.

The most prominent vacancy was that left by former deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana, who resigned last month after intense public pressure following his being found guilty of beating two women at a nightclub last year. His domestic worker also accused him of abuse, though she later withdrew that case in controversial circumstances.

Mthembu said Manana’s seat was given to “comrade Nomvuzo Francisca Shabalala, filling a vacancy on the National List arising from the resignation of comrade Mduduzi Manana”.

Shabalala has previously served as the deputy mayor of Durban. She made headlines in 2012 for saying she would have loved to have a top-of-the-range Mercedes-Benz S500 as her official car instead of the Toyota Prado the municipality supplied her with. But she reportedly accepted it because it was safe and would help her to reach rural people.

Other MPs who were sworn in as ANC MPs were:

• Comrade Noxolo Abrahams-Ntantiso: filling a vacancy on the Eastern Cape-to-National List arising from the passing of comrade Fezeka Loliwe.
• Comrade Albert Mammoga Seabi: filling a vacancy on the National List arising from the passing of comrade Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
• Comrade Daniel Jabu Kabini: filling a vacancy on the National List arising from the redeployment of comrade Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe.

He said that a number of members of the Executive were also sworn in as Members of Parliament.

These members of the executive were previously appointed in terms of Section 91 (3)(C) of the Constitution, which states that the president may select no more than two ministers outside of the National Assembly.

• Minister Nomvula Mokonyane: now deployed from the National List and not in terms of Section 91(3)(C) of the Constitution; replacing President Cyril Ramaphosa who is no longer a Member of Parliament following his election as President of the Republic of South Africa.
• Deputy Minister Ellen Molekane: now deployed from the National List and not in terms of Section 91(3)(b) of the Constitution; replacing comrade Fikile Mbalula following his resignation from Parliament.
• Deputy Minister Thembi Majola: now deployed from the National List and not in terms of Section 91(3)(b) of the Constitution; replacing comrade Lynne Brown following her resignation from Parliament.

Mthembu said he welcomed the comrades to the ANC’s parliamentary caucus and congratulated them on their deployment.