The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Tuesday chose not to attack Jackson Mthembu’s “weaknesses”‚ and hoped “that he will be able to concede to superior logic during debates and deliberations” in his new job.
The party‚ unlike the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Congress of the People (Cope)‚ said “Mthembu is politically senior enough to provide political guidance to most of the African National Congress’ (ANC) wayward members of Parliament and the executive” as its ruling party’s chief whip.
The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Quintin Ndlozi encouraged “Mthembu to use his political seniority to provide mature guidance and sound leadership so that Parliament plays the necessary oversight and law-making role without fear or favour”.
Ndlozi said his party also hoped that Mthembu would “not bulldoze illegal and partisan positions that cannot stand the test of law”.
The EFF’s reaction Mthembu’s appointment was world’s apart from the DAwho said it was “not expected” considering his “chequered past”.
Cope said it is “not impressed” that the former African National Congress spokesperson is replacing Stone Sizani‚ who resigned his seat in Parliament to take up an ambassadorial post in Germany last month.
The DA’s whip in the National Assembly‚ John Steenhuisen‚ said it was a “very interesting appointment as…Mr Mthembu has had a rather chequered past in public life…but obviously we look forward to a robust exchange”.
Steenhuisen said the DA would hold Mthembu to a tweet he made last week about the Guptas and said he hoped Mthembu would support the party’s call on for an ad hoc committee to investigate the influence of the well-connected family.
“I believe Cde Jonas‚ @MyANC– must deal with this arrogance of the #Guptas once and for all!!Who the hell do they think they are‚” Mthembu tweeted after deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas confirmed reports that he had been offered the top ministerial post.
Steenhuisen added: “You need somebody that is able to instil a great deal discipline. The ANC is really struggling to get there people to parliament and to do the business that is required of a parliamentary majority and I am not sure he has the clout to do that.”
Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem harboured similar doubts‚ and told Tiso Black Star Group Digital: “Cope sees it as another deployment as a favour to a cadre that is a praise-singer to the president. They want to consolidate their position.”
Mthembu’s predecessor Sizani was widely criticised for stonewalling Parliament’s oversight of the overspending on President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead.
“We are not impressed of the appointment of Jackson Mthembu to that position‚ there are more suitable people and credible people amongst the members of parliament but Jackson Mthembu is not one of them‚” added Bloem.
In 2010‚ Mthembu gave a media interview apparently while in police custody after being arrested for drunken driving.
He spoke to the now-defunct South African Press Association on a criminal charge and South African Human Rights Commission complaint against then-ANC Youth League president Julius Malema for singing “Shoot the boers”.
At one point‚ it was reported at the time‚ Mthembu burst into song himself.
Malema is now the commander-in-chief of the EFF.
In October 2014‚ Mthembu was injured in a shooting incident at an ATM in Witbank. Mthembu had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the Emalahleni Private Hospital‚ but made a full recovery.
Despite the misgivings of opposition parties‚ the ANC said it “is confident that Comrade Mthembu will discharge‚ with distinction‚ his responsibilities of overseeing the political and administrative functioning of the ANC caucus to support the ANC’s programmes and policies”.
The party’s Zizi Kodwa said Mthembu “brings vast experience to the position of chief whip”‚ saying he served as a MP since 1994‚ “before he was deployed back to Mpumalanga where he served as member of the Provincial Executive Council in the Provincial Government and later Chief Whip then Speaker in the Provincial Legislature”.
“The ANC wishes Comrade Jackson Mthembu well in his new role and calls on all MPs to provide him support in the execution of his duties‚” Kodwa adde
EFF hopes Mthembu ‘will be able to concede to superior logic’
The party‚ unlike the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Congress of the People (Cope)‚ said “Mthembu is politically senior enough to provide political guidance to most of the African National Congress’ (ANC) wayward members of Parliament and the executive” as its ruling party’s chief whip.
The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Quintin Ndlozi encouraged “Mthembu to use his political seniority to provide mature guidance and sound leadership so that Parliament plays the necessary oversight and law-making role without fear or favour”.
Ndlozi said his party also hoped that Mthembu would “not bulldoze illegal and partisan positions that cannot stand the test of law”.
The EFF’s reaction Mthembu’s appointment was world’s apart from the DAwho said it was “not expected” considering his “chequered past”.
Cope said it is “not impressed” that the former African National Congress spokesperson is replacing Stone Sizani‚ who resigned his seat in Parliament to take up an ambassadorial post in Germany last month.
The DA’s whip in the National Assembly‚ John Steenhuisen‚ said it was a “very interesting appointment as…Mr Mthembu has had a rather chequered past in public life…but obviously we look forward to a robust exchange”.
Steenhuisen said the DA would hold Mthembu to a tweet he made last week about the Guptas and said he hoped Mthembu would support the party’s call on for an ad hoc committee to investigate the influence of the well-connected family.
“I believe Cde Jonas‚ @MyANC– must deal with this arrogance of the #Guptas once and for all!!Who the hell do they think they are‚” Mthembu tweeted after deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas confirmed reports that he had been offered the top ministerial post.
Steenhuisen added: “You need somebody that is able to instil a great deal discipline. The ANC is really struggling to get there people to parliament and to do the business that is required of a parliamentary majority and I am not sure he has the clout to do that.”
Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem harboured similar doubts‚ and told Tiso Black Star Group Digital: “Cope sees it as another deployment as a favour to a cadre that is a praise-singer to the president. They want to consolidate their position.”
Mthembu’s predecessor Sizani was widely criticised for stonewalling Parliament’s oversight of the overspending on President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead.
“We are not impressed of the appointment of Jackson Mthembu to that position‚ there are more suitable people and credible people amongst the members of parliament but Jackson Mthembu is not one of them‚” added Bloem.
In 2010‚ Mthembu gave a media interview apparently while in police custody after being arrested for drunken driving.
He spoke to the now-defunct South African Press Association on a criminal charge and South African Human Rights Commission complaint against then-ANC Youth League president Julius Malema for singing “Shoot the boers”.
At one point‚ it was reported at the time‚ Mthembu burst into song himself.
Malema is now the commander-in-chief of the EFF.
In October 2014‚ Mthembu was injured in a shooting incident at an ATM in Witbank. Mthembu had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the Emalahleni Private Hospital‚ but made a full recovery.
Despite the misgivings of opposition parties‚ the ANC said it “is confident that Comrade Mthembu will discharge‚ with distinction‚ his responsibilities of overseeing the political and administrative functioning of the ANC caucus to support the ANC’s programmes and policies”.
The party’s Zizi Kodwa said Mthembu “brings vast experience to the position of chief whip”‚ saying he served as a MP since 1994‚ “before he was deployed back to Mpumalanga where he served as member of the Provincial Executive Council in the Provincial Government and later Chief Whip then Speaker in the Provincial Legislature”.
“The ANC wishes Comrade Jackson Mthembu well in his new role and calls on all MPs to provide him support in the execution of his duties‚” Kodwa adde
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