Khoza takes hard look at her future with ANC

ANC MP Makhosi Khoza says her removal as chairwoman of the portfolio committee on public service and administration is not a surprise‚ but she is beginning to think about her future in the party.

“Frankly‚ it was expected. When we voted on August 8 as the ANC‚ we decided which way we are going.

“Again when on Tuesday I met with Minister [Faith] Muthambi in the ANC study group … people were charging at me … part of what they were saying is that they cannot be led by moral conscience‚” Khoza said on Thursday night after participating in a Ruth First Memorial Lecture at Wits University.

“They want to be led by somebody who follows the party lines. [When that happened] I already knew that this is what the ANC is going to do … I’m not surprised. I remain true to the mission of the ANC.”

Khoza’s demotion follows a vote on August 8 in the National Assembly in which President Jacob Zuma narrowly survived a motion of no-confidence. Khoza was one of a handful of ANC MPs who had publicly declared they would support the motion.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe subsequently said there would be consequences for those who had openly stated their opposition to the party line‚ which had been to reject the motion.

Khoza said she would put a lot of thinking into her future in the coming weeks. “If I have to meditate‚ I will do so. I’m going to get in touch with myself.”

Khoza‚ who has clashed with party leadership and openly criticised Zuma‚ was removed from her position by the party on Thursday.

She listed all sorts of intimidation she had endured due to her views.

“Why am I still with the ANC? I am not sure that I am able to answer that today. It is something that I’m asking myself as well.

“In fact‚ a friend of mine said: you know‚ I’m a supporter of Kaizer Chiefs. If Kaizer Chiefs tomorrow becomes a funeral parlour‚ then I will have no business with Kaizer Chiefs.

“To be honest‚ that made me think. Is this the ANC that I associated with when I was 12 years old?

“The reality of the situation is that I’m a human being. I’m a reactive phenomenon like everybody else. I do have family demands and there is so much that does affect you at a personal level. It is straining … I don’t want to lie to you.

“There is one thing that I think really breaks me – that is when they go for my children. That breaks me.

“You know‚ when my daughter repeatedly gets threats or she is being followed or she gets her tyres slit or something like that‚ it does get to that point. Am I now probably supporting a funeral parlour?”

Khoza’s fate as parliamentary chair seems to have been sealed this week after five ANC members who serve on her committee rebelled against her. She said the writing appeared to be on the wall for the ANC.

“Truth be told‚ I am not sure whether we are going to be able to rescue the ANC. The reason why I’m saying that is because if you look at the Gupta leaks‚ if almost 80% of your leadership is implicated‚ what are you expecting? You are simply that lone voice there.

“Even if you are in an abusive marriage‚ sometimes it is always good to get out of that marriage when you exhausted everything else,” she said. — DDC