MK Party downplays Makhubele blunder during Appropriation Bill's voting
Colleen Makhubele's confusion – after a day spent rejecting the respective budgets presented for the various government departments – mistakenly supported the Government of National Unity (GNU) Appropriation Bill in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
ALSO READ:
- GNU passing national budget allows unhindered spending for rest of financial year
- GNU finally passes ultimate test of collaboration by getting national budget approved
The marathon sitting brought to an end 2025's sticky budget process.
Makhubele was seemingly tripped up by processes in the House and accidently cast a vote on behalf of the MK Party in favour of the Appropriation Bill.
The official opposition was allowed to change its vote at a later stage – a move other parties said sets a bad precedent because it was allowed after the voting window had closed.
Speaking to journalists after the session, the MK Party's Des van Rooyen dismissed the faux pas.
'From vote 1 to vote 42, the MK has been very clear – we have objected all these votes. I think there was a confusion from the table when the House chairperson announced order 5 and he was corrected by his table but by then, our chief whip had already channelled order 5. That was the confusion. But it's just logic, simple sense. You can't vote no for all budgets 1 to 42 and then at the final stage you vote yes - it doesn't make sense.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
JSC endorses tribunal findings of gross misconduct against judge Makhubele
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Friday confirmed the January findings by the judicial conduct tribunal that Gauteng high court judge Nana Makhubele was guilty of gross misconduct. The commission has resolved to refer the matter to the speaker of the National Assembly to recommend removal proceedings for the judge in terms of the constitution. The commission, without the MPs, met in July to consider the contents of the report of the tribunal, which had inquired into allegations of judicial misconduct against Makhubele after a complaint by #UniteBehind, a coalition of movements comprising various nonprofit organisations. The complaint was made as Part A and Part B. Part A concerned Makhubele's acceptance of appointment and provision of services as a chairperson of the interim board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) after she was appointed a judge with effect from January 1 2018. Part B related to Makhubele's conduct during her tenure as chairperson of Prasa, that she failed to act honourably and avoid the appearance of impropriety and acted in a manner unbecoming of judicial office. TimesLIVE reported that the complainant said during her time as chair, she pushed through the settlement of claims worth about R59m for companies in the Siyaya group, owned by Makhensa Mabunda, and on terms very favourable to the group. Mabunda was politically connected to former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana, who the state capture commission's report has recommended for prosecution arising out of tenders he awarded at Prasa. The settlement of the claims went against legal advice from her own legal affairs division, which she sidelined, #UniteBehind alleged. In its decision, the tribunal said there was no record of the board taking a resolution to settle these claims. The tribunal found Makhubele guilty of gross misconduct in parts A and B of the complaint. Before considering the matter, the commission — constituted without the MPs — called for written representations from Makhubele and #UniteBehind — and both parties filed representations. Makhubele denied the allegations in the complaint and alleged that Gauteng judge president Dunstan Mlambo had consented to her starting her appointment as a judge in April 2018 rather than her official appointment date of January 1 2018. The tribunal had found that Makhubele's version that Mlambo had agreed she would not commence her duties as a judge on January 1 2018 was most unlikely. 'In the commission's view, the facts set out in the tribunal's report clearly support the conclusion that judge Makhubele is guilty of gross misconduct in respect of the allegations set out in Part A,' the commission said in its report on Friday. The commission also found the evidence on which Makhubele was found guilty in terms of Part B clearly established gross misconduct in the form of dishonesty.
TimesLIVE
9 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
KZN premier considering responses from health and education MECs over fraud and corruption allegations
She is also alleged to have interfered with media freedom by pressing for the dismissal of a radio presenter critical of undocumented migrants accessing state health care. Hlomuka is faced with allegations of political interference and personal enrichment in the controversial R2.9bn national schools nutrition programme tender scandal. He is alleged to have interfered with the tender processes to benefit his allies in the ANC and has since been directly linked after it emerged a company registered to him in 2015 was among the beneficiaries of the tender issued by his department. The two officials have denied any wrongdoing, claiming they had severed ties with the companies long before the dealings and the positions they've had in government had no influence in procurement processes. Simelane said she resigned from her family business in 2004, which was four years before it received the Ithala loan. At the time, she was a junior official in government with no influence on Ithala's funding decisions. She said funding to her family business predated her tenure as committee chair. Hlomuka acknowledged the implicated company was registered by him when he was not part of government and claimed he had relinquished his stake well before taking office and he is not aware of its activities. Opposition parties in the legislature, the MK Party and the EFF, called on Ntuli to remove the two MECs from the provincial cabinet. The two parties repeated the calls during budget speech presentations by Simelane and Hlomuka on Tuesday, going as far as stating the ANC should apply its 'step-aside' rule until they are cleared. The premier's office said the two submissions are undergoing careful review and the process would adhere to the constitutional principles of fairness and administrative justice. Ntuli's spokesperson Bongani Gina said: 'The premier has reiterated his commitment to handling the matter with the utmost integrity, transparency and accountability. Further communication will be issued on conclusion of the review process as the premier's undertaking to transparency and good governance.'
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
MK Party slams Umzinyathi municipality for asking jobseekers about political affiliation
MK Party slams Umzinyathi municipality for asking jobseekers about political affiliation The uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) has criticised the Umzinyathi District Municipality for allegedly breaching constitutional and labour laws by including a question about political party affiliation in its official job application forms. MKP Inkosi Bhambatha Regional Detachment spokesperson, Innocent Shabangu, described the practice as unlawful and discriminatory. 'This is a blatant breach of the Constitution and employment legislation,' said Shabangu. He said the question violated: Section 9(3) of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on political grounds, Section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act, and Section 67(1)(a) of the Municipal Systems Act, which requires fair and merit-based appointments. Shabangu warned that such practices could entrench political patronage and discourage capable individuals from applying for municipal jobs. The MKP has called for: The immediate removal of the question from application forms, A full investigation into recent appointments, and Action to ensure hiring processes remain impartial. The Umzinyathi District Municipality did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication. The municipality, which has been under provincial intervention since 2016, reported more than R1.7 billion in irregular, unauthorised and fruitless expenditure during the last financial year. Newly elected Mayor T Mchunu recently announced the adoption of a funded budget – a first in years – in a bid to stabilise the institution. HAVE YOUR SAY: Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at [email protected]. Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.
