ANC chief whip and national executive committee (NEC) member Pemmy Majodina has expressed her wish for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to charge troubled national assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
This she said in a leaked text conversation with former Ekurhuleni mayor and NEC member Mzwandile Masina.
According to the explosive text evidence, which we have seen, Majodina (incorrectly saved on the mobile phone as Majodima) said Mapisa-Nqakula had to be charged so that the ANC could effect the step-aside rule.
Masina and Majodina confirmed that the conversation did take place but insisted that the text should be read in the context of the entire conversation.
Majodina said the interpretation that she wanted Mapisa-Nqakula booted out was “all utter rubbish” that was not deserving of her response.
In the text conversation, Masina expresses his view on Mapisa-Nqakula’s legal troubles and allegations of accepting gratification.
“If it is true, it would be a very sad end of her (Mapisa-Nqakula) illustrious career just a few days before her final race,” wrote Masina. Majodina responded to this comment: “I just hope the NPA will soon charge her then we implement Step Aside. Yhoooo kunzima (it’s bad) Zwayi Zwayi (Masina).”
In an earlier text, Majodina informed Masina that she would buy time on the motion of no confidence sponsored by the DA until the end of April in what is believed to be her strategy to have the NPA pounce, so that the motion becomes an academic exercise as Mapisa-
Nqakula would have stepped aside by then.
Approached for comment, Majodina told Sunday World to go “ask your source”.
“This is all utter rubbish, that is not worthy of my response. Go ask the person who gave you the WhatsApp (message). Tell that person to share the whole conversation with you and its context,” she told Sunday World.
These revelations of the alleged plot come amid further allegations that Majodina had an interest in the legal woes facing Mapisa-Nqakula.
This week, a message accusing Majodina of rejoicing the downfall of the speaker was circulated on ANC leadership WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms. The message claims that Majodina was “at the centre of the leakages and abuse of state power to humiliate and embarrass the speaker”, according to the so-called exposé.
“Two weeks ago, before the NPA raided Mapisa-Nqakula’s home, Pemmy Majodina is among senior politicians who knew about it and was rejoicing in parliament when she told some MPs that the speaker’s home would be raided and she would be arrested. A jubilant Majodina spoke with absolute confidence on the raid and imminent arrest of Mapisa-Nqakula,” alleged the message.
“The ANC officials are said to have taken a decision not to support the motion on its speaker as lodged by the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance.
“Contrary to that decision, the deputy speaker of parliament, Lechesa Tsenoli, in defiance of the party position, accepted the motion.
“When cornered in the parliamentary political committee meeting on Tuesday evening on who he consulted for that decision, after being defensive for some time, he cracked that he consulted the ANC chief whip who told him to accept the motion. Majodina tendered an apology for the meeting and was absent,” the message alleged.
Mapisa-Nqakula has taken special leave from her role following a raid at her Johannesburg home by the NPA’s Investigating Directorate recently.
After the raid, there was speculation that her arrest was imminent, and she rushed to the high court, seeking to interdict law enforcement from arresting her, stating several reasons.
This week, the DA tabled a motion of no confidence against Mapisa-Nqakula in parliament, which ANC top brass have confirmed the ANC caucus will vote against.
