Cape Town – Just a day after being sworn in as new members of Parliament, the MK Party is seeking to be recognised as the official opposition, replacing the Democratic Alliance (DA) now part of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
According to EWN, MK Chief Whip Sihle Ngubane announced plans to propose amendments to the House rules to reflect the current political landscape where no party holds an outright majority.
The National Assembly is already working on revising its rules to accommodate more political parties.
Speaker Thoko Didiza confirmed the establishment of a sub-committee to review these rules, the report said.
The role of official opposition leader includes a salary increase.
“We will be making a submission for the revision of rule 191 and rule 32, which all implicate our status as the largest opposition party in the assembly,” the report quoted Ngubane as saying.
ALSO READ | WATCH | John Hlophe slams ANC under Ramaphosa
Meanwhile, new opposition leader in Parliament, John Hlophe, on Tuesday expressed gratitude to MK leader Jacob Zuma for entrusting him with the role.
Due to Zuma’s criminal conviction, he cannot lead the party in the legislature, leaving Hlophe, recently impeached as a High Court judge, to take on the job.
Despite this, Zuma remains the party’s president.
Speaking to SABC after being sworn in as MP, Hlophe criticised the ANC under Cyril Ramaphosa, claiming it no longer fights for the poor and landless, justifying the formation of the MK Party.
I’m the leader of the MK Party in Parliament, and Sihle Ngubane is the Chief Whip
President Zuma is the founder and the president of the Party – Dr John Hlophe on SABC. pic.twitter.com/1UZQrpUnGy
— Bheka kaNhlangothi (@Bhekabk) June 25, 2024
“The MK Party was founded because the ANC, in our shared view, which is the collective view of the MK Party, has completely gone astray. This is not the ANC that we used to know, particularly over the past five years under the leadership of Cyril Ramaphopsa. This is no longer the ANC which fights for poor people, who fights for landless people. It’s a different ANC altogether,” the report quoted Hlophe as saying.
He expects seasoned politicians like former minister Des van Rooyen to assist him and considers the MK Party the official opposition, planning to collaborate with other progressive parties like the EFF and ATM.
“We consider ourselves, the MK Party, as the official opposition party in the country, because the opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, is now part of the Government of National Unity, and we are going to work very closely with other progressive parties in the opposition. I have in mind the EFF and the ATM and other progressive parties.”
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@MlindeliMM
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
