In an unprecedented shake-up of its parliamentary structures, the ANC has reshuffled the chairpersons of nine committees, including some of the legislature’s most high profile, and appointed former Jo’burg mayor Isaac Mogase to the vacant post of chief whip.
To replace axed chief whip Mbulelo Goniwe, the ANC appears to have settled for a powerful, older (Mogase is 73) and less ambitious leader who is unlikely to be caught up in the succession battles.
Committee chairs that have changed hands include justice and constitutional development, public enterprises, defence, communications, social development, arts and culture, land affairs and agriculture, and science and technology.
The ANC’s parliamentary caucus has been alive with rumours about the changes for more than a fortnight, following a meeting of the powerful political committee with secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe, and some of the changes were expected.
They come a day before the opening of the floor-crossing window, and will be closely parsed by MPs trying to assess what they indicate about the status of the party’s succession race.
Justice and consitutional development chairperson Fatima Chohan is highly regarded as a parliamentarian, says an MP who has been tracking the process closely, but her personal relationship with Deputy Justice Minister Johnny de Lange makes it easy for critics to impugn her integrity. De Lange is seen as a sponsor of controversial judicial reform legislation that the committee must consider. ‘Another job had to be found for her,†the MP says.
Chohan swaps seats with public enterprises committee chairperson Yunus Carrim, who is a senior communist. Carrim has supported the government’s willingness to see the state take a large role in the economy, but has in recent weeks been sharply critical of Alec Erwin’s approach to setting up and licensing the state-owned broadband utility Infraco.
Few are surprised that Godfrey Oliphant, who has been acting chairperson of the communications committee, did not keep the job. He moves to the less politically prominent science and technology committee. ‘He won’t keep communications,†says one well-informed MP, ‘he doesn’t support the president enough.â€
Lenasia MP Ismail Vadi, who is seen as one of Parliament’s harder working members, has been promoted to the communications job, which comes with politically sensitive responsibilities, including managing the nomination process for a new SABC board.
ANC insiders say Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour pushed hard for Dennis Bloem, who is a particularly energetic and critical chairperson of the portfolio committee on correctional services, to be moved, but that has not happened.
Rubben Mohlaloga, an MP on the communications committee who earns plaudits from both opposition and ANC colleagues, is promoted to chair the committee on agriculture and land affairs. ‘He was told ministers can’t be seen to pick their chairs,†says an MP.
In other changes, Thandi Tobias swaps jobs with Fezile Bhengu, moving from defence to public works. Thovhowani Tshivhase leaves his social development chair to take over arts and culture.
Mike Masutha is promoted from the whippery to take over social development.
Dumisile Nhlengethwa will be deployed from the role of chairperson of the portfolio committee on agriculture and land affairs to that of whip.
Caucus spokesperson Moloto Mothapo is adamant that nothing should be read into the timing of the announcement. ‘The ANC is always looking at ways to ensure that we have the best people for each particular job,†he says.