ANC to make Madikizela an MPL
Bhisho announced on Thursday that Babalo Madikizela will become the newest ANC member of the legislature on Monday.
Speaker Noxolo Kiviet’s spokeswoman Maria Hermans was responding to a Daily Dispatch inquiry following the ruling party’s provincial deployment decision on Monday to field Madikizela as the new MPL.
Asked if there were any developments on the swearing-in ceremony for Madikizela, Hermans said: “For now it’s Monday until we advise otherwise.” The Dispatch reported on Monday about the plan to promote the ANC’s provincial treasurer to Bhisho.
ANC chief whip Fundile Gade confirmed receiving correspondence from Lulama Ngcukayitobi on Wednesday informing the whippery that the ruling party wanted Madikizela to be sworn in as soon as possible.
Madikizela replaces the late education MEC Mandla Makupula on the ANC’s list. Gade said the initial arrangement was to have the swearing in ceremony on Thursday, but speaker Noxolo Kiviet will only be back on Monday.
“I can therefore safely say the swearing in ceremony will be held on Monday. My office has correspondence for the speaker’s office in this regard,” said Gade.
Madikizela will remain an ordinary MPL for a few days, awaiting the return of human settlements MEC Mlungisi Mvoko from his official visit to Cuba.
Soon after Madikizela will assume Mvoko’s human settlements mantle, and premier Phumulo Masualle will announce Mvoko’s move to the post of education MEC.
Meanwhile preparations for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the Dr WB Rubusana region on Sunday continue.
ANC PEC member Loyiso Magqashela led a team to Buffalo City Metro where they held a meeting with ANC councillors to assess the state of the metro.
The visit will see the party’s top six, as well as the 80-member national executive committee, interacting with ANC leaders and party deployees to the BCM council on Sunday.
All eyes will be on ANC deputy secretary Jessie Duarte during the meeting, as she is expected to hand over the outcomes of the national appeals committee to the PEC.
The report will help shed light on whether the Pumlani Mkolo-led regional executive committee was elected in a properly constituted meeting.
This was after ANC members on the last day of the two-day conference held at the beginning of September questioned why 229 delegates voted instead of 223 at the conference.