Latest news with #ColleenMakhubele
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
How to ruin a good battle
If the military uniforms they wear in parliament were not for show and Colleen Makhubele was a commander of the MK Party forces in a real battle, she would have led them straight to an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the enemy. The occasion was the parliamentary vote on the Appropriations Bill — a significant step towards the passing of the troubled government of national unity's budget. The battle lines had long been drawn, GNU forces — though initially divided — stood in favour, and those outside the GNU would oppose it...
News24
3 days ago
- Politics
- News24
Siyahleba: Slow death of the EFF Speak or keep forever silent
Slow death The EFF this weekend celebrated its 12th anniversary in Khayelitsha in Cape Town. But if they were honest with themselves, they would really be commemorating their slow death. The party's support dropped in the national elections last year and has since been on a precipitous decline. By-election after by-election has seen their support drop alarmingly. READ: Siyahleba: African beggars | Who appointed you? God? | Did they just say unity? | HOT & NOT On Wednesday, the party obtained a woeful 1% in a ward by-election in Kimberley in the Northern Cape, which was won by the ANC with 43% of the vote. In Emfuleni, Gauteng, the party obtained a mere 8% support in a ward won by the ANC with 38%. Party leader Julius Malema should be honest with his supporters on their way to their cemetery. Confusion much? Jacob Zuma's MK Party has spent weeks and months articulating its opposition to this year's budget. But when it came to the crunch, when it had an opportunity, it chose to vote in support of the budget in the National Assembly. This positive vote was such a surprise to the chairperson of the session, Cedric Frolick, that he actually gave the party a second chance to state its vote, and it repeated its support for the budget. It was only much later that its chief whip, Colleen Makhubele, said: We have changed our minds. Makhubele later pleaded for understanding, saying she made a mistake because she was a new chief whip. But what was shocking was that each time she announced the wrong vote, she was supported by the entire MK Party caucus, meaning the entire caucus got it wrong. What is going on in that party? We know they are not going to last, but there is no need to rush the process. The voters will pronounce. Speak or keep forever silent It was shade o'clock at the EFF presser when commander-in-chief Julius Malema turned to deputy president Godrich Gardee and said: Say something because you are going to leave here and form a party and say you were never given a chance to speak... The two burst out laughing, loud and unbothered. But the message? Sharp and unmistakable. Shots were flying straight at former deputy president Floyd 'silent but plotting' Shivambu. Malema kept the heat coming: 'We didn't know he wanted to speak. Were we supposed to smell it?' Yho! Not Julius dragging Floyd like expired cologne. Next time, comrades, don't whisper ambitions, spray them. Maybe we'll catch the scent. HOT South African sprint phenomenon Bayanda Walaza again led the medal charge for the country on the international stage. This week, the 19-year-old clinched the 100m and 200m titles at the World University Games in Germany. Walaza's double contributed to the six gold medals that Team SA hauled at the multisport event, which ends today. In total, South Africa won 16 medals, including three silver and seven bronze – ranking the country seventh on the medal table at the time of publication. NOT How ridiculous Kenny Kunene sounded when he tried to explain why he was found at the house of the man suspected of being the mastermind behind the murder of musician DJ Sumbody. Kunene was found at Katiso 'TK' Molefe's house in Sandton this week as the SA Police Service Political Killings Task Team and the Gauteng Organised Crime Detectives pounced on the suspect, along with three others at various locations in Gauteng. When he realised what was happening, Kunene, in trying to distance himself from Molefe, said he was at the house to help a journalist friend of his to report on the arrest. But he failed to say which journalist he was referring to – mainly because there was none. It's a good thing that his friend and leader in the Patriotic Alliance Gayton McKenzie advised him to resign his position as councillor in the City of Johannesburg. But the smell of scandal lingers. The arrests follow in the wake of Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's revelation that some top government officials are closely connected to criminal syndicates.
The Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
'I'm a new chief whip': MK Party's Makhubele plays down 'yes' vote blunder in Appropriation Bill
MK Party chief whip Colleen Makhubele has played down confusion about the Appropriation Bill in parliament where she mistakenly voted 'yes' for the bill the party maintained it would reject. During the budget vote on Wednesday, Makhubele announced the party was voting in favour of the bill, claiming 49 votes in support. However, after the house chair asked her to verify, she did a swift U-turn, declaring they were voting against the bill. Makhubele said she thought they were voting for the ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 'We are rejecting this. We are changing our vote. I thought we were dealing with the ad hoc committee. We will support it when it comes, that was the confusion,' Makhubele said. 'I'm just a new chief whip, I will make errors, so relax. We are voting against the bill.' Makhubele, who was appointed chief whip last month replacing Mzwanele Manyi, faced severe backlash from other MPs who mocked her in parliament. EFF leader Julius Malema criticised Makhubele's blunder during a media briefing on Thursday. 'It was a mess, a mess in action,' Malema said. 'That's what you elected South Africa. You are asked twice and you're saying, 'I'm voting in support'. That MK Party caucus almost collapsed yesterday [Wednesday]. You elect people who do not understand. The chairperson allows that. It's not principled. Once the voting is closed it's done. He undermined the decorum and the integrity of that process. MK Party will never reduce us in numbers anywhere else including in thinking.' The National Assembly approved the Appropriation Bill by 262 votes to 90. All 10 parties in the government of national unity voted in favour, while the MK Party, EFF, African Transformation Movement, United Africans Transformation and National Coloured Congress opposed the bill. TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
'I'm a new chief whip': MK Party's Makhubele plays down 'yes' vote blunder in Appropriation Bill
MK Party chief whip Colleen Makhubele has played down confusion about the Appropriation Bill in parliament where she mistakenly voted 'yes' for the bill the party maintained it would reject. During the budget vote on Wednesday, Makhubele announced the party was voting in favour of the bill, claiming 49 votes in support. However, after the house chair asked her to verify, she did a swift U-turn, declaring they were voting against the bill. Makhubele said she thought they were voting for the ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. 'We are rejecting this. We are changing our vote. I thought we were dealing with the ad hoc committee. We will support it when it comes, that was the confusion,' Makhubele said. 'I'm just a new chief whip, I will make errors, so relax. We are voting against the bill.' Makhubele, who was appointed chief whip last month replacing Mzwanele Manyi, faced severe backlash from other MPs who mocked her in parliament. EFF leader Julius Malema criticised Makhubele's blunder during a media briefing on Thursday. 'It was a mess, a mess in action,' Malema said. 'That's what you elected South Africa. You are asked twice and you're saying, 'I'm voting in support'. That MK Party caucus almost collapsed yesterday [Wednesday]. You elect people who do not understand. The chairperson allows that. It's not principled. Once the voting is closed it's done. He undermined the decorum and the integrity of that process. MK Party will never reduce us in numbers anywhere else including in thinking.' The National Assembly approved the Appropriation Bill by 262 votes to 90. All 10 parties in the government of national unity voted in favour, while the MK Party, EFF, African Transformation Movement, United Africans Transformation and National Coloured Congress opposed the bill.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
MK Party's budget vote confusion in National Assembly
MK Party chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed their initial support for the Budget to mistaking the vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that will probe the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers Drama played out during the adoption of the Budget in the National Assembly this week when the MK Party supported the Appropriation Bill only to change its vote despite rejecting every departmental budget. The party's chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed the confusion on mistakenly casting their vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that was established to probe allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during the marathon session. The unexpected vote of the official opposition unfolded soon after all the 42 schedules were agreed to. House chairperson Cedric Frolick had asked the National Assembly Secretary to read the Fifth Order, which was the next to be considered on the agenda after the schedule of vote of department. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Frolick then immediately corrected himself that it was going to be the time for Fourth Order, which was meant to agree on the Appropriation Bill after consultation with the officials. The EFF was the first to object and called for the division, a move that led to Makhubele accusing Frolick of not recognising her hand first. When the voting took place, the ANC voted in favour with 140 votes, followed by the support of the DA with 74 in support and then MK Party supporting with 49. The EFF voted against with 35. When Frolick asked Makhubele to clarify her party's vote, she said: '49 in support.' ACDP chief whip Steven Swart suggested that there might be confusion on which item that was being dealt. In response, Frolick said he had been explicit that they were dealing with the Fourth Order. 'I followed the procedure and the EFF was the last one to indicate and now I am with the IFP,' he said. Voting by other parties continued with the Patriotic Alliance. Its chief whip Marlon Daniels said his party 'follows the lead of MK Party with eight votes in support'. After the voting session had closed, Makhubele stated that she had mistakenly thought that they were dealing with the Ad Hoc Committee. 'We are changing our vote. We will support the Ad Hoc committee when it comes. That was confusion,' Makhubele added. Frolick agreed that there was confusion in terms of the MK Party's vote. 'The party has now changed the vote three times. What is your final position?' he enquired. In response Makhubele said: 'I am just a new chief. I will make errors so relax. We are voting against this.' DA chief whip George Michalakis said the parliamentary rules did not provide once the voting has closed for parties to change their vote. 'That will be highly irregular to allow parties to change their vote once a vote has closed,' Michalakis said. But, Frolick blamed the confusion on the disorderly conduct that was taking place in the House. 'I called the member on more than one occasion to vote in a particular manner.' He then announced the results that the Second Reading of the Appropriation bill was agreed to with 256 in favour and the MK Party's votes included among the 87 that voted against. 'No abstention and the Second Reading is agreed to,' Frolick said, adding the bill was to be sent to the national Council of Provinces for concurrence. He maintained that even if there was a rerun of the vote, it would not make a material difference on the outcome. Frolick stood his ground when EFF leader Julius Malema maintained that he made a bad judgement because he set a wrong precedent. 'You ruled in our favour but that was not in line. You are making this process to have a problem of legitimacy and credibility. This has to be the most respected process that you don't make the mistake,' said Malema, referring to Frolick when he overruled the MK Party when it was outsmarted by the EFF earlier in objecting and calling for division on the schedule of all the votes. Frolick was unmoved, saying there would no material difference to outcome of the vote. 'The majority voted in support of the Second Reading,' he said. Cape Times
