Hlophe, Mngxitama, Zuma-Sambudla, Des van Rooyen among 58 MK Party members sworn in as MPs

Leaders of SA’s biggest political parties should brace to face off with Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, Andile Mngxitama and John Hlophe as uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party members were sworn in as MPs on Tuesday.

Jacob Zuma’s daughter, the former EFF leader and former judge were among 58 MK elected members who boycotted the first sitting of the National Assembly nearly two weeks ago. MK party MPs stayed away on June 14 after filing a complaint at the country’s top court alleging vote rigging in the May 29 election, which the court dismissed as lacking merit.

The party of Zuma came in at a surprisingly strong third place in the election in which the ANC lost its parliamentary majority. MK has declined to join a government of national unity.

Its MPs also include former co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Des van Rooyen, who was appointed as finance minister out of the blue by Zuma in 2015 and then replaced after four days by Pravin Gordhan when the rand went into a tailspin.

EFF member and former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who was impeached over her fitness for office, also attended the swearing-in ceremony. She was there to support her husband, David Skosana, who has also taken up a seat as an MK party MP.

Other notables included former minister Zizi Kodwa.

Hlophe is expected to be announced as the party’s chief whip in the National Assembly. The former Western Cape judge president, who was impeached by the previous parliament for misconduct, including for using his position to try to influence judges in a Zuma corruption case, was also sworn in.

“The fact that we are participating in the National Assembly should not be construed as an indication we have abandoned the legal actions. We are convinced that the elections were rigged, that is our case, and the case has been taken to the appropriate forums,” Hlophe said on Tuesday. 

“We are going to engage in a very robust debate but in a respectful manner, but please make no mistake that we will not allow ourselves to be bullied.”

He said that the MK party was keen to take on President Cyril Ramaphosa in parliament. The ANC was not the party they once knew, particularly under Ramaphosa’s leadership, he added. “This is not the ANC which fights for poor people, landless people. It is a different ANC altogether.”

Hlophe also said Zuma, who did not take up a seat as an MP to preserve his presidential salary, remains the party’s president.

MK is part of a broader coalition of smaller opposition parties that has lost traction as many have gravitated towards the ANC and DA-led coalition government, which includes 10 parties so far.

With Hajra Omarjee

Reuters