Former president and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) leader Jacob Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, is unlikely to be one of the party’s MPs to be sworn in on Tuesday.
This despite her being number 18 on the original list before some members were replaced by 21 others.
The party bagged 58 seats in the National Assembly overtaking the EFF to become the South Africa’s third-largest party after this year’s general elections.
The 58 party members were due to be sworn in last week during the first sitting of Parliament.
This after the party boycotted the first sitting in protest that the election results were rigged.
Zuma-Sambudla had initially shown no interest to occupy a seat despite her father having been barred by the Constitutional Court that he was not eligible.
Zuma-Sambudla has been holding her father’s hand since his court woes while he was still a leader in the ANC.
She has kept on his side even when he announced that he would be campaigning for the MKP instead of his beloved ANC.
The members will be sworn in at the Good Hope Chamber by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo or a designated judge, Parliament said.
In a turn of events, the party this week announced the return of former Western Cape judge president John Hlophe, who will also be sworn in.
Hlophe was impeached after allegations of misconduct.
Recently, The Star reported that Hlophe had called for the country’s legal system to be overhauled while delivering his keynote address at the launch of the African Legal Professionals Association in Durban on Saturday.
He said the country’s legal system did not reflect the traditions, values and ethos of its people.
Hlophe also revealed that he has been meeting with Jacob Zuma following his recent appointment by the MK Party to be its leader in the National Assembly saying that more needs to be done to unite South Africans and that he would be doing the same when he finally takes on his new role as leader of the opposition in Parliament, he said.
Meanwhile, the ANC has defended the decision to deploy criminally charged former sports, arts and culture minister Zizi Kodwa, who is expected to be sworn-in as an MP in Parliament today.
The move appears to be at odds with its own resolution that ANC members facing allegations or charges of corruption should appear before the Integrity Commission, step aside voluntarily if indicted and should resign if convicted.
Those charged are prohibited from standing for election in any leadership position and cannot hold government positions as ministers, deputy ministers and MEC.
They are to also not hold positions in Parliament or provincial legislatures, including chairpersons of portfolio committees.
The affected members can attend sittings and portfolio committees, but can’t speak on behalf of the ANC except to vote.
Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula stepped down as National Assembly Speaker after being criminally charged. Other senior members removed through the ANC’s step-aside rule include former secretary-general Ace Magashule.
Kodwa is facing charges in connection with allegations that he received R1.7 million in bribes.
ANC national spokesperson Hlengiwe Bhengu-Motsiri confirmed to IOL yesterday that Kodwa will be sworn in by National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza.
Bhengu-Motsiri said Kodwa could only be given lesser roles while he was waiting for the court decision on whether he was guilty or innocent.
“If the court rules are in his favour, he will be eligible to take the ministerial positions again but if the case rules otherwise then he will have to step aside completely,” she said.
The Star