Former education minister Kader Asmal has been selected to chair Parliament’s foreign affairs committee to replace Pallo Jordan, who moves to the Cabinet.
Thursday’s decision by the African National Congress parliamentary caucus is the second surprise pick in quick succession.
In the first, Frene Ginwala was dropped as speaker of the National Assembly after 10 years in favour of her former deputy, Baleka Mbete.
The replacement of other parliamentary committee chairpersons was significantly less surprising.
Well-respected senior ANC MP Fatima Chohan-Kota takes over at the justice committee from Johnny de Lange, now Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. She has effectively worked as De Lange’s deputy in the committee, arguably Parliament’s most hardworking.
Free State-based MP Maggie Sotyu moves up in the safety and security committee to replace its former chairperson Mluleki George, now Deputy Minister of Defence. And Elizabeth Thabethe, another senior ANC MP, replaces Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, the newly appointed deputy speaker.
The chairperson of the defence committee, vacated by Thandi Modise, who was redeployed to the North West legislature, is filled by Nyami Booi. The Western Cape-based MP previously served on the safety and security committee.
Vincent Smith, the long-standing ANC heavyweight on the public accounts committee, now takes charge in a complete break with the parliamentary tradition of having an opposition party chairperson for the watchdog on government spending.
Amid the changes there remained a large measure of continuity with most other committee chairpersons retaining their seats, including Geoff Doidge, who was reappointed as chairperson of committees.
In the National Council of Provinces, Victor Windvoël, a delegate for Mpumalanga, is the new chief whip, replacing Enver Surty, now education deputy minister.
National Assembly ANC chief whip Nkosinathi Nhleko keeps his post, as does his deputy Andries Nel.