Economic Freedom Fighters legislature leader Themba Wele’s personal assistant has been appointed as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Vuyokazi Khethabakhe said she was ready to be a “rural voice” in parliament.
“I’m just filled with mixed emotions and most of all I’m happy that people from rural areas will have someone to represent them at a national level,” Khethabakhe said, adding that growing up in a rural area would allow her to advance rural community needs.
Khethabakhe heads to parliament after EFF MP Magdalene Moonsamy resigned to complete her studies in law.
Moonsamy, however, is still a member of the party, serving as its treasurer-general.
Speculation rose last week that Moonsamy would defect to the ANC, but this was dismissed by EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee. “Commissar Magdalene Moonsamy alerted the leadership collective that in 2015 she needs to complete her articles as part of the requirements for her admission as an attorney.
“From the 12th of January, Commissar Moonsamy started with this necessary and progressive endeavour and because such a task is full-time, she had to relinquish her role as a Member of Parliament.”
Gardee said the EFF parliamentary office had since accepted her resignation from parliament, and submitted the name of Khethabakhe as an MP.
He said that Khethabakhe brought extensive political and organisational experience to her new post. The Willowvale-born “fighter” serves in the party’s top two structures, the Central Command Team (top 29) and War Council (top 15).
She now also serves as the EFF’s commissar for home affairs.
She had been confirmed as a Member of Parliament by the secretary of the National Assembly and would assume her responsibilities when parliament opened on February 12, the EFF said.
Eastern Cape EFF leader Vuyisile Schoeman said the provincial structure was happy that another EFF member from the province would be in parliament.
“She has been in the organisation from its inception; she is very committed and hardworking and we are very happy that someone from the province will be in our national office and the National Assembly,” Schoeman said.
Addressing media reports that the EFF was planning on disrupting parliament during the state of the nation address, Gardee said they were “malicious rumours”. “The ANC and members of the media have been spreading a rumour that EFF Members of Parliament seek to disrupt parliament during the state of the nation address on February 12.
“This again is malicious because the EFF understands that parliament should carry forward its duties according to the constitution and rules of the National Assembly. As we said before, the rules demand that whoever is a president should answer questions at least once per term in the National Assembly.
“If the speaker does convene parliament, EFF members will ask questions and that is not a disruption, it is called ‘asking questions’ and parliamentary rules allow for questions to be asked.
“The EFF is holding the president accountable and not disrupting parliament.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za
New EFF MP ‘a rural voice’
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Vuyokazi Khethabakhe said she was ready to be a “rural voice” in parliament.
“I’m just filled with mixed emotions and most of all I’m happy that people from rural areas will have someone to represent them at a national level,” Khethabakhe said, adding that growing up in a rural area would allow her to advance rural community needs.
Khethabakhe heads to parliament after EFF MP Magdalene Moonsamy resigned to complete her studies in law.
Moonsamy, however, is still a member of the party, serving as its treasurer-general.
Speculation rose last week that Moonsamy would defect to the ANC, but this was dismissed by EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee. “Commissar Magdalene Moonsamy alerted the leadership collective that in 2015 she needs to complete her articles as part of the requirements for her admission as an attorney.
“From the 12th of January, Commissar Moonsamy started with this necessary and progressive endeavour and because such a task is full-time, she had to relinquish her role as a Member of Parliament.”
Gardee said the EFF parliamentary office had since accepted her resignation from parliament, and submitted the name of Khethabakhe as an MP.
He said that Khethabakhe brought extensive political and organisational experience to her new post. The Willowvale-born “fighter” serves in the party’s top two structures, the Central Command Team (top 29) and War Council (top 15).
She now also serves as the EFF’s commissar for home affairs.
She had been confirmed as a Member of Parliament by the secretary of the National Assembly and would assume her responsibilities when parliament opened on February 12, the EFF said.
Eastern Cape EFF leader Vuyisile Schoeman said the provincial structure was happy that another EFF member from the province would be in parliament.
“She has been in the organisation from its inception; she is very committed and hardworking and we are very happy that someone from the province will be in our national office and the National Assembly,” Schoeman said.
Addressing media reports that the EFF was planning on disrupting parliament during the state of the nation address, Gardee said they were “malicious rumours”. “The ANC and members of the media have been spreading a rumour that EFF Members of Parliament seek to disrupt parliament during the state of the nation address on February 12.
“This again is malicious because the EFF understands that parliament should carry forward its duties according to the constitution and rules of the National Assembly. As we said before, the rules demand that whoever is a president should answer questions at least once per term in the National Assembly.
“If the speaker does convene parliament, EFF members will ask questions and that is not a disruption, it is called ‘asking questions’ and parliamentary rules allow for questions to be asked.
“The EFF is holding the president accountable and not disrupting parliament.” — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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