Ten politicians, including former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (MK) members, joined the latest group of MPs that were sworn.
Speaker of the National Assembly Thoko Didiza administered the oath of office to the group on Wednesday at the Goodhope Chamber Building in Cape Town.
The group included former EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi, 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.
Shivambu left the EFF to join the MK Party, where he has been appointed national organiser.
The new MK MPs are taking over their new roles following the removal of 18 MPs, who have since taken the party to court to overturn the decision by the party.
Duduzile Zuma, the daughter of the MK Party leader, escorted the party members.
Official opposition party
They are jumping on board after a highly competitive election in May that resulted in the eight-month-old MK Party becoming the official opposition.
The new 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), and former Eskom and Transnet boss Brian Molefe (KZN-MK).
The others are Thulani Innocent Gamede (KZN-MK) and Mogamad Nazier Paulsen (national-EFF).
The two EFF members are taking the seats left vacant by Shivambu and Manyi.
Manyi, who has been the Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson, left the EFF on the same day Shivambu announced his departure.
Manyi was a member of the ANC, African Transformation Movement, and the EFF for the previous five years.
Shivambu took to his X account to comment on the swearing in, adding that the MK members are clear on the party’s mission.
“The comrades sworn in on behalf of the uMkhonto WeSizwe Party today are a clear and emphatic demonstration that the movement is serious about an alternate revolutionary government and quality public representation,” he wrote.
