Malusi Gigaba not heading back to parliament

One of the most controversial ANC candidates on its national list, former minister Malusi Gigaba, has withdrawn his name from the list and so will not be sworn in to parliament tomorrow.

MP candidates for their respective parties were at parliament today to register for their swearing in tomorrow.

Former speaker Baleka Mbete also withdrew her name from the list, reports News24, though figures who stoke as much controversy as Gigaba – such as Bathabile Dlamini, Nomvula Mokonyane and Mosebenzi Zwane – are still set to be sworn in. Gigaba and Dlamini were both found to have lied under oath, among other scandals.

Mbete and Gigaba resigned on Tuesday following the ANC’s first caucus meeting since the elections.

Gigaba declined to comment directly on his reasons, but insiders said he would be doing “party work”.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule announced on Monday that they had decided to appoint Mokonyane as parliament’s chair of chairs. This new appointment in effect meant that the controversial former minister would not be returning to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet, which is predicted to be far smaller than Jacob Zuma’s was.

Pemmy Majodina, from the Eastern Cape, will be the ANC chief whip in Parliament, while Doris Dlakude will remain deputy chief whip.

Thandi Modise will be nominated as the new speaker of the National Assembly when the House meets for the first time since the sixth democratic elections on Wednesday.

Modise, former chairwoman of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), replaces Mbete.

“We unanimously adopted this list as the NEC, no issues, and Thandi Modise will be the Speaker of the National Assembly and we will still continue to bring deputy Speaker Lechesa [Tsenoli] as the deputy Speaker of Parliament and further continue with Seiso Mohai as chair of the ANC caucus,” Magashule told reporters after the meeting.

Amos Masondo will be the ANC’s nominee for NCOP chair, deputised by Sylvia Lucas, the current Northern Cape premier.

The ANC retained its majority in parliament following the elections and it is unlikely any challenges to the ANC nominations will succeed.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said last week at the Constitutional Court that the post-election period was a “time to be more vigilant than ever” against corruption and abuse of power by elected representatives.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.