ANC MPs won’t be taken to task for voting against Zuma

ANC Members of Parliament who voted for the recent motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma in parliament will not be disciplined by the party.

This is according to party secretary general Gwede Mantashe‚ who reiterated that the ANC was not on a witch hunt to find out who voted with the opposition in the secret ballot on August 8 which saw Zuma narrowly survive the motion.

“We say as the ANC‚ we will abide by the decision of the speaker [Baleka Mbete]. Even though the speaker threw us under the bus … if we go and do a witch hunt‚ we are going to open negative publicity on the ANC‚” said Mantashe.

He was speaking at a memorial lecture on former ANC president Oliver Reginald Tambo in Kwa-Thema on the East Rand‚ Johannesburg on Friday evening.

Mantashe said the party had only dealt with one of their members who voted with the opposition “because they voted with the opposition and then started beating drums that they voted with the opposition and then the person got into trouble”.

Although Mantashe didn’t mention outspoken ANC MP Makhosi Khoza by name‚ it was clear that he was referring to her.

Khoza was unceremoniously fired last month as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on Public Service and Administration after a breakdown of trust between herself and the party.

However‚ she was redeployed to the portfolio committee on economic development this week.

Khoza‚ along with MPs Mathole Motshekga‚ Pravin Gordhan‚ Mondli Gungubele and Derek Hanekom were among those who had stated ahead of the no-confidence motion that they would vote according to their conscience and vote with the opposition rather than toe the party line.

Mantashe told hundreds of ANC members that as a loyal member of the party‚ members must abide by what the party stood for‚ no matter how hurtful it might be.

He said even if members disagreed with certain decisions taken by the leadership‚ they should‚ at all times‚ vote with the ANC “with a heavy heart”.

“If you are a cadre and an activist‚ you must be loyal to the decision. Once you break ranks when you don’t agree with a decision‚ it’s the highest level of ill-discipline‚” said Mantashe. — DDC