The five members of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature who defected to the African National Congress are likely to be accommodated in various positions by the end of next month.
With the expunging of the retrospective provision in the draft defection legislation, the five — the Democratic Alliance’s Tim Jeebodh and Belinda Scott, Inkatha Freedom Party members Maurice McKenzie and Mike Tarr, and the United Democratic Movement’s Sam Nxumalo — cannot be reinstated in their former positions.
The DA’s former chief whip, Scott is already working as a housing consultant to the Durban Metro on a short-term basis. Scott, who has served on the provincial housing board, won a national award for her work on housing. McKenzie has taken up a seat in the legislature vacated by the ANC’s Nhlanhla Ngidi, who has joined the Scorpions.
There are two vacancies in the national Parliament following the resignation of Ela Gandhi and Mohseen Moosa. Gandhi said she was retiring to run a recently revived community newspaper, Satyagraha, which had been started by her grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi.
Moosa, who is Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Mohammed Valli Moosa’s brother, has left politics for business.
ANC insiders say Jeebodh and one ANC member of the provincial legislature are likely to be accommodated in Parliament. There is speculation that hardliner Dumisani Makhaye, who has national aspirations, might be deployed to Parliament. However, Makhaye has said he would prefer to remain in the province.
There is speculation that former IFP hardliner Walter Felgate, who joined the ANC a few years ago, might quit the legislature due to ill health, thereby creating the second vacancy in the provincial legislature. Tarr and Nxumalo, who would prefer to remain in KwaZulu-Natal, are likely to take up the vacancies in the province.
However, ANC provincial chairperson S’bu Ndebele dismissed all speculation, saying: ”These individuals did not join the ANC for positions, but on a matter of principle. They are highly skilled and competent individuals who could succeed in any sector.”