The Jacob Zuma-led MK Party has appointed former EFF member of parliament Mzwanele Manyi as chief whip in parliament.
The appointment comes hours after Manyi was sworn in as an MK Party member of parliament. He was sworn in along with former Eskom, PIC and Transnet Group chief executive Brian Molefe, reality TV celebrity and veteran singer Gezani Eric Nkovani, popularly known as Papa Penny, and Sinawo Tambo, who is anticipated to take Floyd Shivambu’s place.
Other new MK Party MPs are: Thembisile Mjadu (KZN-MK), Nompumelelo Matilda Gasa (KZN-MK), former Passenger Rail Agency of SA CEO Lucky Montana (KZN-MK), Nkovani (KZN-MK), former Transnet Group CEO Siyabonga Gama (KZN-MK).
The official opposition confirmed the appointment of Manyi, a former Black Management Forum president, in a media statement issued out on Wednesday evening.
He has replaced Sihle Ngubane. The party said Ngubane will resume the role of an ordinary member of parliament.
Questionable appointment policy
The appointment of former labour department’s director-general and ex-government’s spokesperson comes as the party’s appointment policy has been thrust into the spotlight due to an unusually high number of party members who are removed from their official positions. Some have criticised the party for firing people without internal disciplinary processes being held.
Recently the speaker of National Assembly Thoko Didiza had to inform MK Party members that their party memberships have been terminated and as a result they no longer members of parliament.
However, some of the party took the party to court to ask for the reversal of their removal.
“Honourable Mzwanele Manyi has been appointed as the Chief Whip of the MK Party with immediate effect. He replaces Honourable Sihle Ngubane who has served diligently in this role.
“Honourable Manyi bring a wealth of executive experience to this administrative yet political role, as he served in government as a director general and led as a corporate executive in the private sector,” read the statement.
Manyi is also the former owner of The New Age and ANN7, assets which the Guptas sold to him for R450 million. It is not clear if he will continue occupying the position of Jacob Zuma Foundation.
“We are confident that Honourable Manyi’s leadership will further strengthen our party’s commitment to serving,” read the statement.
