Mervyn Dirks, former ANC member of parliament has been appointed MK Party (MKP) chief whip in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
Dirks, considered a hardcore and a no nonsense politician, is known for launching a spirited campaign for President Cyril Ramaphosa to fall on his sword on Phala Phala Farmgate. His then party had decided to rally around its president. It had done the same on former President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla debacle.
Dirks to lead MKP legislature caucus
“The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has appointed, on a permanent basis, commander Mervyn Dirks as the Chief Whip of the Parliamentary Caucus in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, effective immediately,” the party said.
Dirks will replace Dr Kwazi Mbanjwa, the outgoing chief whip of the party in the provincial parliament where the MKP commands the status of opposition.
While most ANC MPs supported Ramaphosa in squashing the probe into Phala Phala where millions in unaccounted for US dollars were found sofas and mattresses. Dirks put up spirited opposition but lost the fight. He subsequently left the former governing party and joined MKP.
The post became vacant when Mbanjwa was suspended
The one-year-old party recently suspended Mbanjwa and two other members of the provincial legislature. The party alleged the trio stuck their grubby fingers in the cookie jar. This after they refused to release more than R60 million in party funds in their custody back to it.
The funds were allegedly a legislature grant to the party. It was meant to enable it to pay for operations including the salaries of party support and constituency staff.
Mbanjwa’s removal from the key position was confirmed by MKP secretary general Floyd Shivambu. On 3 January, he wrote to inform Nontembeko Boyce, the speaker of the legislature, of the same.
“Please be informed that uMkhonto weSizwe Party has appointed commander Mervyn Dirks as the chief whip of our parliamentary caucus in KwaZulu-Natal,” read a letter seen by Sunday World.
But not everybody is taking the suspension lying down.
However there is a fight back
Last Thursday, a handful of MKP supporters protested outside KwaDakwadunuse, Zuma’s ancestral home. The protesters called for the suspension to be rescinded.
Party top brass is however having none of it. It has promised to unleash hell on any party member involved in the protest for “bringing the party into disrepute”.
