Another Zuma loyalist appointed as ANC Chief Whip

22 March 2016

Today the African National Congress’s (ANC) revolving door of Chief Whips has tossed up another Zuma apologist in the form of Jackson Mthembu. He will continue to use the ANC’s parliamentary caucus to block attempts to exercise oversight over the Executive and protect President Zuma- no matter the cost. 

Mthembu is the former ANC Spokesperson and a known Zuma loyalist who tirelessly used this position to spin President Zuma out of many public scandals. Its seems clear that in the midst of growing divisions with ANC ranks Mthembu has now been deployed to the position of Chief Whip in an attempt to pull the ANC caucus back in line behind Zuma. 

The divisions in the ANC caucus reached boiling point during the first term of Parliament this year, especially after President Zuma’s senior Counsel threw the ANC Caucus, and their defence of the Police Minister’s Nkandla report, under the bus before the Constitutional Court. 

It is worth noting with concern that Mthembu recently came out in criticism of journalists during the #ZumaMustFall campaign. This attack on freedom of expression is deeply concerning and it is our hope that is will not be a trend that continues into his tenure as Chief Whip for the ANC in Parliament. Parliament needs to be a place of open and vociferous debate and any attempt to limit this will be opposed by the DA.

South Africa needs Parliament to work. The ANC Caucus has a duty to oversee the Executive. They have failed dismally to do this in the past and it is doubtful that Mthembu as a Zuma loyalist will have the backbone to stand up for the institution of Parliament while he is Chief Whip. 

The DA will continue to do everything in our power to hold government and President Zuma to account through Parliament.

Issued by John Steenhuisen, Chief-Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 22 March 2016