Simon Nare
Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) deputy president and parliamentary caucus leader Dr John Hlophe has been placed on precautionary suspension and stripped of his role in the National Assembly pending an investigation.
The party said on Wednesday night that Hlophe was suspended with immediate effect for removing chief whip Colleen Makhubele and replacing her with Des van Rooyen without consulting other leaders.
The move would have made Van Rooyen the fourth MKP chief whip since the party entered parliament 15 months ago.
Makhubele was removed during party president Jacob Zuma’s absence. Zuma, who was on a visit to Burkina Faso, convened a meeting with party officials on his return.
According to a press statement, Hlophe had not consulted the leadership on his decision to remove Makhubele. The party did not elaborate on any reasons Hlophe put forward for the move, which has since been rescinded. Makhubele has been reinstated.
“The president has taken a decision to issue a precautionary suspension to the party’s deputy president and the leader of the MKP parliament caucus Dr John Hlophe from both his leadership roles with immediate effect, pending a full investigation on his conduct.
“This decision is meant to affirm and send a strong message [about] the principle of collective leadership across all structures within the uMkhonto weSizwe Party. Consequently, the decision taken by Dr Hlophe to remove comrade Collen Makhubele and appoint comrade Des van Rooyen is therefore nullified,” said the party.
Before his appointment was reversed, the MK Women’s League had said Van Rooyen would strengthen the party’s parliamentary caucus and instil discipline.
Van Rooyen, a Zuma loyalist, has been through a similar short-lived appointment. He served just four days as finance minister in December 2015 when Zuma was state president, a move that saw him dubbed the “weekend special”.
MKP said in its press statement that it remained “focused and steadfast in pursuing its mission to bring about genuine transformation and justice for the people of South Africa”.
INSIDE POLITICS