‘Muthambi at heart of SACP recall’
ANC accused of compromising committee boss’s oversight role
NO FAITH: Joyce Moloi-Moropa CLASHES on policy and controversial executive decisions by Communications Minister Faith Muthambi led to communications portfolio committee chairwoman Joyce Moloi-Moropa throwing in the towel this week.
SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo said the resignation had come after a lengthy process that started last year and culminated in the decision by the party’s central committee to recall Moloi-Moropa from parliament.
Some members of the committee believed it had become too difficult for her to exercise her oversight role.
She is the SACP’s national treasurer.
“It was decided she must be full time in the party responsible for her functions as per the statement released by [the ANC caucus] in parliament,” said Mashilo.
There were also “personal issues” to attend to, because her husband had had a severe stroke.
However, a senior SACP official said “political issues” lay at the heart of her resignation.
“Joyce was chairperson of the portfolio committee on communications as a public representative on the mandate of the ANC,” the official said.
“We cannot allow a situation where things come to that portfolio committee contradicting ANC policy, with her implementing that.
“There have been problems on broadcasting legislation, problems on the SABC. Wrong decisions taken. Just wrong decisions. She was actually recalled by us. We decided last year. She could not take it because
NO JOYCE: Faith Muthambi she’s an honest person.”
Moloi-Moropa clashed with Muthambi when, in a legal opinion requested by her, it was suggested the minister had acted unlawfully when she interfered in matters under consideration by the SABC’s board of directors, which had led to the dismissal of three board members.
At a meeting last year, Moloi-Moropa said she would forward the legal opinion, which criticised Muthambi’s actions, and ask her to appear urgently before the committee to respond. Moloi-Moropa warned that if Muthambi failed to respond, she would bring the matter to the attention of President Jacob Zuma.
The official said Moloi-Moropa could not “implement this rubbish”.
ANC parliamentary spokesman Moloto Mothapo said Moloi-Moropa requested “a while ago” that the ANC leadership release her from parliament so that she could focus full time on her “enormous responsibilities” as SACP treasurer.
“Her resignation and that of Paul Mashatile, the former chairperson of the standing committee on appropriations, brings to two the number of vacancies in the leadership of parliamentary committees. The posts will be filled soon,” said Mothapo.
ANC MP Big Boy Kekana, a member of the communications portfolio committee, said Moloi-Moropa’s resignation had come as a surprise.
“I was shocked . . . We know she took leave because her husband is sick. I’ve got respect for her and I’m a [Gauteng] provincial executive member of the same Communist Party,” said Kekana.