The ANC in Parliament has hit out at one of its most outspoken MPs‚ Makhosi Khoza‚ saying her recent behaviour amounts to "extreme ill-discipline and should be acted upon" by the ANC.
In a statement‚ ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu says Khoza‚ who has gone on the record to say she will not toe the ANC party line when it comes to the secret ballot vote‚ and who gave interviews to the media on the sidelines of this week’s ANC national policy conference when delegates had been expressly forbidden from doing so‚ appeared to "define herself outside the collective of the ANC parliamentary caucus and is acting like an independent member of parliament and a free agent who will not subject herself to organisational processes and discipline".
Khoza has been an outspoken critic of President Jacob Zuma‚ and has been the subject of death threats as a result.
Mthembu said he had also been surprised to learn via the media that Khoza had written to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to request a secret ballot because of the threats to her life.
"Whilst we respect the right of any MP to raise matters they feel strongly about with the leadership of Parliament‚ party discipline dictates that she should have at least informed the chief whip of such actions. The fact that we find out about such through the media is very worrisome‚" Mthembu said.
He said the party had on previous occasions spoken to Khoza about her outspoken behaviour.
"We have again spoken to comrade Khoza and raised our extreme discomfort with her utterances in relation to Caucus and the leadership of the ANC at large. We are of the view that these actions amount to extreme ill-discipline and should be acted upon by the organisation."
Mthembu also said Khoza's assertions that ANC MPs could not make their own decisions‚ were wrong.
"She casts aspersions on ANC members of parliament saying that she doubts that ANC MPs have the necessary morality to make their own decisions. We take serious exception to such utterances as they seek to question the calibre of our MPs. ANC members of parliament are tried and tested cadres of the movement who have in their own name and right contributed immensely to the attainment and advancement of our democracy."
Source: Tiso Black Star Group Digital.
ANC hits out at its own MP‚ Makhosi Khoza
In a statement‚ ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu says Khoza‚ who has gone on the record to say she will not toe the ANC party line when it comes to the secret ballot vote‚ and who gave interviews to the media on the sidelines of this week’s ANC national policy conference when delegates had been expressly forbidden from doing so‚ appeared to "define herself outside the collective of the ANC parliamentary caucus and is acting like an independent member of parliament and a free agent who will not subject herself to organisational processes and discipline".
Khoza has been an outspoken critic of President Jacob Zuma‚ and has been the subject of death threats as a result.
Mthembu said he had also been surprised to learn via the media that Khoza had written to National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete to request a secret ballot because of the threats to her life.
"Whilst we respect the right of any MP to raise matters they feel strongly about with the leadership of Parliament‚ party discipline dictates that she should have at least informed the chief whip of such actions. The fact that we find out about such through the media is very worrisome‚" Mthembu said.
He said the party had on previous occasions spoken to Khoza about her outspoken behaviour.
"We have again spoken to comrade Khoza and raised our extreme discomfort with her utterances in relation to Caucus and the leadership of the ANC at large. We are of the view that these actions amount to extreme ill-discipline and should be acted upon by the organisation."
Mthembu also said Khoza's assertions that ANC MPs could not make their own decisions‚ were wrong.
"She casts aspersions on ANC members of parliament saying that she doubts that ANC MPs have the necessary morality to make their own decisions. We take serious exception to such utterances as they seek to question the calibre of our MPs. ANC members of parliament are tried and tested cadres of the movement who have in their own name and right contributed immensely to the attainment and advancement of our democracy."
Source: Tiso Black Star Group Digital.
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