Absent ANC MPs face sanctions as funding vote delayed

TRUANT ANC MPs responsible for delaying the transfer of essential service delivery funding will all face disciplinary action for their failure to pass the Division of Revenue Bill in parliament this week.

In an unprecedented turn of events, the Bill, which allows for government revenue to be transferred to the provinces and departments, could not be passed twice this week as the ANC did not have the numbers in the house.

Speaking after addressing his caucus yesterday, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu said the failure to transfer the Bill was both disappointing and embarrassing.

“The Bill is critical to the government’s ability to continue its service delivery obligations to South Africans and parliament’s delay in passing it means the allocation of revenue to various government departments will not occur as planned.”

He said that 40 of the party’s 249 MPs had been granted a leave of absence for Wednesday. The remaining 209 had all confirmed their attendance in the house.

The Bill was only able to muster 193 votes of the 201 required on Wednesday.

Votes included those of opposition parties the IFP and the UDM.

The DA and the EFF walked out of the house.

The names of those who had been absent without leave on either day would all be forwarded to the ANC’s caucus disciplinary committee, headed by MP Mathole Motshekga, to be formally charged.

They could face sanctions including warnings, serious warnings or fines and could face being referred for further sanctions to the ANC’s national disciplinary committee.

Mthembu said he had also reminded the caucus of a resolution taken earlier this year that repeat offenders could face losing their jobs if they were recommended for immediate recall.

He, however, said those involved in this week’s incidents were not likely to face this sanction.

And, he said, ministers and deputy ministers weren’t exempt from discplinary procedures if they were absent without leave as they were still MPs and members of caucus.

Minister Jeff Radebe said during his post-cabinet briefing yesterday that cabinet had discussed Tuesd failure to pass the Bill when they met on Wednesday.

And yet, despite cabinet expressing its “grave concern” that morning, by late Wednesday the party was again unable to pass the Bill.

Mthembu said that the failure to pass the Bill would cost government as the National Council of Provinces would now have to extend its programme by at least a week in order to deal with the delay.

The ANC will attempt to pass the Bill again early next week, with Mthembu stating that no MP would be granted a leave of absence.