Opposition party urges president, ANC to get their house in order

THE Presidency confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested that David Mabuza remains in his role as deputy president until the transition has been finalised.

Mabuza, during a funeral service for his brother, confirmed that he had resigned from the position of ANC deputy president and the country’s deputy president.

Speaking to The Star yesterday, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed that Mabuza had expressed his desire to step down from the position after the outcome of the governing party’s leadership elections last year.

“However, Ramaphosa has requested that Mabuza remains in his role until such time the modalities of his departure and transition have been finalised,” Magwenya said.

In December, during the 55th ANC National Elective Conference, Mabuza was nominated from the floor for the position of deputy president, but he declined.

Paul Mashatile was then elected as the party’s deputy president, and is expected to be sworn into Parliament soon.

Mabuza did not attend the ANC’s NEC and Presidential Lekgotla held last week. The party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, confirmed that he did not attend the gathering but said that he submitted his apology, a move for which Mbalula hailed Mabuza as a disciplined member.

Mabuza said he communicated with Ramaphosa. “As you know, there was a conference; I was deputy president of the ANC, but at that conference, Mashatile was elected. I am making way for Mashatile because I can see he is moving, so I am making this in a rush so that I can give him space. I communicated with Ramaphosa.

“Ramaphosa will announce my resignation; me and him agreed. I promised that I will respect the president until my departure. I am out, and I hope those that are remaining will respect him. I remained the deputy president of the country, so what do you think must happen? Logically, I have to resign as the deputy president of the country,” he said.

Opposition party Cope said it was not surprised by Mabuza’s resignation.

“What we find concerning and unfortunate is that this announcement must come in such a sloppy way at the burial of Mabuza’s brother; this is yet another low for this government,” said Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem.

He added that Mabuza was the country’s deputy president and was paid with tax money, which was wrong and disrespectful to taxpayers. “Ramaphosa and his party must get their house in order. We expect him to officially announce Mabuza’s departure,” Bloem said.

The ACDP said that the resignation announcement at a family funeral was odd.

“It is somewhat strange because usually the president would, under normal circumstances, confirm and announce his deputy’s resignation from office through official government channels, taking the nation into his confidence,” said ACDP deputy president Wayne Thring.

“We understand that there has been talk of a Cabinet reshuffle that Ramaphosa may be instituting as a result of Mashatile being elected as deputy president of the ANC, however, the announcement of the resignation should have been done by Ramaphosa.”