MKP says new chief whip Manyi has ‘wealth of experience’
The Mkhonto we Sizwe Party says its new chief whip, Mzwanele Manyi, brings a wealth of experience to the role.
The former Economic Freedom Fighters member left the red berets two weeks ago.
He was sworn in as an MK MP on Wednesday.
The party says Manyi has a background as a director general in the Labour Department and as a corporate executive in the private sector.
The Jacob Zuma-led party believes his experience will benefit him in his new role.
"We will always strengthen the leadership team, and we will bring in members of the party or members of society we believe can bolster our posture. Now, we brought Mzwanele Manyi because he is also strong, a trusted comrade and also coming from within the progressive caucus. Administratively, if you look at the role of chief whip, it is an administrative role, but it also has requirements of someone who has got political insights,” says MKs Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Meanwhile, the DA described the swearing-in of three former parastatal heads for the MK Party as an insult to South Africans.
READ: MK Party confirms plans to send Molefe, Gama to Parliament
Former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, ex-Transnet boss Siyabonga Gama and former Prasa chief Lucky Montana also took their oaths as MPs on Wednesday.
The trio has been implicated in corruption cases relating to state-owned entities during Jacob Zuma's tenure as president.
"These individuals are not suitable to hold positions in a Parliament that should uphold the principles of democracy and accountability with integrity at its core. Their presence in this body serves as a clear indication of how deep-rooted corruption has seeped into our political framework," says DA Chief Whip George Michalakis.
"The DA usually refrains from commenting on the internal workings and appointments of political parties. However, the decision to put forward these names does not only reflect on the character of the MK, but also has serious implications for the dignity of Parliament as an institution and therefore warrants a response.
"Furthermore, the MK Party's decision to amend their party lists, chopping and changing them at will, has undermined the very essence of democratic representation. Voters were unaware that they would be represented by these individuals, as they were not included in the list initially presented to the electorate. This makes a mockery of our democratic process, where transparency and trust should be paramount."
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