ANC MPs who voted in favour of S89 report will be reported for defying party line

The African National Congress (ANC) has indicated that the five Members of Parliament (MPs) who voted with the opposition for the adoption of the Section 89 Panel report will be reported to the party for defying the party line.

The party voted overwhelmingly against the report, on Tuesday, which found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office.

This means that Parliament will not proceed with the report as was indicated by National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula when she announced voting results.

It was a historic sitting with voting done physically via a roll call. The ANC had given its 230 members a mandate to vote against the report.

At least five ANC MPs, including a Cabinet Minister, defied the party’s instructions and voted for the adoption of the report to a rousing applause from the opposition benches.

“As a disciplined member of the ANC, I vote Yes,” voted Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Speaking to SABC News International News editor Sophie Mokoena, Minister Dlamini-Zuma says while she has not been nominated by a province to make it in the nomination list, she will accept the nomination at the conference when nominations are called from the floor.

VIDEO: DLAMINI ZUMA ON VOTING FOR ADOPTION OF SECTION 89 REPORT 

 

“I vote Yes,” said Supra Mahumapelo, ANC MP.

However, after voting was done, Thandi Mahambehlala, who initially voted yes, wanted to change her vote. But some opposition parties objected.

“It has come to my attention that my vote for party line is captured wrongly, vote for party line is no and it came to my attention that it was recorded yes then I voted no,” claimed ANC MP Tandi Mahambehlala.

Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu decided not to take part in voting. She was present during the debate and left during voting. The ANC says those who defied party instructions will be reported and subjected to party processes.

“We have a party political system and people are here on the party list, nobody contested a constituency and therefore decisions of the party must be binding,” Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy.

At least one political analyst believes that the timing of not towing the party line was not a wise decision for those who defied the party, as they might face unintended dire consequences for their actions.

“Voting against party line at a time that is so close to the conference was not necessarily very thoughtful because what is going to happen is that these members have opened themselves up to the potential to be purged after the ANC conference when they infant could have pursued party based process to bring about change or accountability even if when the report comes back next year or one finding or another is made by one of the institutions,” says Political Analyst Ongama Mtimka.

No opposition party indicated that it gave its members instructions on how to vote, however, no member from the opposition voted differently from their colleagues.

Names of ANC MPs who voted in favour of Section 89 report will be provided to NEC: Bheki Mtolo reacts