NC parly Speaker resigns

IN A SURPRISE move yesterday, the ANC announced the immediate resignation of the Speaker of the Northern Cape Legislature, Boeboe van Wyk.

His vacancy in the Legislature will be filled by Gail Parker, the current provincial spokeswoman for the party.

However, the post of Speaker must still be filled.

There are expectations that this will be done today during the inaugural address by the new Premier, Sylvia Lucas.

Making the announcement yesterday, ANC provincial secretary, Zamani Saul, said Van Wyk would be redeployed to the Nama Khoi Municipality as the Mayor.

“The vacancy left by Van Wyk will be filled by Parker who is currently employed in the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development as a director for rural development.”

Van Wyk’s appointment to the Nama Khoi Municipality in Concordia follows the ANC’s recent success at the polls in a by-election in the town just last week.

Saul yesterday thanked the community of Concordia for their support and confidence in the party and promised that the victory at the polls would not go to waste.

“Van Wyk is a community activist and the residents of Nama Khoi know him very well and hold him in high regard,” Saul stated.

“He was the regional chairman when the ANC in the early 1990s started building structures in the region. He served in that position for 10 years and his standing in that community is beyond reproach,” Saul said.

“It was during his leadership that the ANC support in the Namakwa region grew exponentially.”

Saul added that Van Wyk was a senior leader of the ANC and had served in the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) for the past 17 years.

“He was a member of the National Assembly during the first term of the democratic dispensation. From there he was deployed to the Provincial Legislature and served in different executive positions, as MEC for Local Government as well as MEC for Safety and Liaison.”

Saul added that after the 2009 general election Van Wyk was appointed as the Chief Whip of the ANC in the Legislature and later was appointed to be the Speaker.

“Wherever Van Wyk was deployed, he left indelible footprints of honesty, integrity, visionary leadership, forthrightness and hard work.

“He possesses a wealth of governance experience which we think will add value in our effort to strengthen the Nama Khoi Municipality. We made a promise to the people of Nama Khoi that we will rid the municipality of the mess caused by the DA and Cope coalition,” Saul added.

“To clear that mess, we release one of our best cadres and seasoned activist of all times. The PEC has faith in his capabilities and we wish him all the strength.”

Van Wyk said that with all his experience in politics and government, going back to local government was important.

“What I will miss as a Speaker was that there were no dull moments at the Legislature.

“I will return to the Namakwa District under the leadership of the ANC and serve the community.”

He added that his aim was to restore the relationship between the politicians and government.

His successor, Parker, said she was honoured to be trusted with such huge a responsibility.

Cope yesterday welcomed Van Wyk’s resignation, adding that it had not come a day too soon.

Pakes Dikgetsi, Cope MPL, said the party looked forward to the appointment of a competent professional to the position of Speaker.

“We are of the view that his resignation has a lot to do with the ongoing victories of the opposition over the ruling party when it comes to Legislature business.”

He added that Van Wyk had allowed his “own narrow-minded political preferences to interfere with the day-to-day tasks of the Legislature”.

Ismail Obaray, DA deputy chairman and ID MPL, said the news had been received with “surprise” and had come as a shock to all MPLs on the opposition benches.

“Rumours and speculations are reverberating down the hallways into the possible reasons for this sudden decision.

“Some have suggested that this may be a case of the ANC’s policy of cadre deployment while others say the sudden resignation may have something to do with a mooted cabinet reshuffle by the newly appointed Premier,” Obaray said.

“But these are mere speculations, and whatever the reason for the decision, we would like to wish him well in his future endeavours.”