The ANC says it will deal with Minister Nkosazana-Dlamini Zuma's defiant behaviour after she was a no show in the National Assembly during the process to vote for the removal of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said secretary general Fikile Mbalula and the National Disciplinary Committee would deal with Dlamini-Zuma’s “defiant” behaviour.
Her defiant behaviour was over her absence during the National Assembly to vote to remove the former Public Protector.
Dlamini-Zuma is the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities.
She was absent from the National Assembly on Monday for the vote on the removal of Mkhwebane as Public Protector.
This is despite Mbalula telling MPs that only death can excuse them from attending the assembly vote.
A total of 318 MPs voted in favour of the motion to remove Mkhwebane, with 43 voting against the bid.
Bhengu-Motsiri told IOL that the matter was not only about Dlamini-Zuma, but also others who did not attend the assembly vote.
She said the party’s Parliamentary Caucus has referred the matter to Mbalula to deal with.
“This and similar others are receiving attention by the SG and ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee,” she said.
This is the second time that Dlamini-Zuma has defied the leadership’s orders. The ANC failed to take action against her when she voted against the party line on the recent Phala Phala vote.
Dlamini-Zuma, Supra Mahumapelo, Mervyn Dirks, and Mosebenzi Zwane previously voted against the ANC on the Phala Phala matter in December.
Former Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Zweli Mkhize were not present to cast their votes.
However, on Monday the party’s chief whip in Parliament, Pemmy Majodina, stressed her frustration over Dlamini-Zuma for not sending a letter of apology.
She stated that she would write to Mbalula to demand that action be taken against her.
“Her absence today was a shock to me. She has no apology and no permission to be absent. I can account for others, I know their whereabouts. I don’t know the whereabouts of Mama Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and as I usually do, I am packaging the report and sending it to the secretary-general’s office. It’s high time that they act,” she said.
Majodina added that any ANC MP voting to keep Mkhwebane in her job would be decisively dealt with.
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