Parliament said it has not received a letter from expelled uMkhonto WeSizwe party (MK) leader Jabulani Khumalo about attending the first sitting of Parliament to represent the MK party.
Despite being ousted from former president Jacob Zuma’s party, Khumalo appears on the list of MK members that will be representing it in the National Assembly.
In the letter, Khumalo urged all the other 57 MK members to show up when parliament’s seventh administration convenes for the first time.
“Should any MK member of parliament not avail themselves for understandable fear of victimisation by Mr Zuma and his clique, it will not, in itself, be a basis for parliament not to continue with its business of swearing in members of parliament and continue with its scheduled business on the date chosen by the Chief Justice,” he said.
Mothapo said Khumalo is not on the list of the people Parliament communicates with on behalf of the MK party.
“There are certain individuals or leaders that as per the IEC list we as parliament have identified as the people that we can communicate with on behalf of the party, and we are in constant communication with those leaders.
“We have not received the communication from Mr Khumalo and we can say Mr Khumalo is not on the list of the people we communicate with on behalf of their party,” Mothapo said.
Mothapo said parliament is aware that Khumalo’s case to get his expulsion from the MK party declared invalid and unlawful and that he be reinstated as the organisation’s leader with immediate effect is before the Electoral Court.
“Parliament as always will comply with whatever outcome the court tells it to do.”
ALSO READ: Jabulani Khumalo to represent MK party in Parliament despite being expelled
Meanwhile, Khumalo said the MK party’s attempts to interdict the first sitting of parliament is both “misguided and embarrassing.”
The MK party on Sunday said it has legally instructed the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to refrain from convening the sitting of both houses of Parliament until its grievances over the results of the recent national and provincial elections are heard and ruled upon.
Zuma’s party, which has 58 seats in the National Assembly is asking the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for a recount of the votes.
ALSO READ: Zuma’s MK party intends interdicting first sitting of Parliament
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