Stone crushed by his conscience

02 March 2016

ANC Chief Whip Stone Sizani's resignation today is a clear indication of schisms within the ANC Caucus and a man finally crushed by his own conscience.

For the past three years Sizani has been forced to make a career of defending the indefensible in Parliament at President Zuma’s behest, and has sustained numerous embarrassments in the National Assembly (NA) in the process.

Sizani has struggled both to fill the ANC benches in the NA on a regular basis, and as a result last year struggled both to pass what was poised to be a disastrous Division of Revenue Amendment (DORA) Bill, and to appoint the author of the ‘Secrecy Bill’, Cecil Burgess, as Inspector-General of Intelligence.

During arguments in the Constitutional Court last month the President’s Senior Council, with complete disregard, also threw the ANC Caucus under the bus for their participation in the Nkandla ad hoc committees, all in an attempt to protect the President.  

Yesterday’s Motion of No Confidence further illustrated the ANC’s apathy in Parliament and some speculate the last straw for Sizani. His resignation is a clear sign of the growing rifts within the ANC – and of an ANC Caucus which is collapsing under the weight of President Zuma's maligned presidency.

Regardless we wish the now former Chief Whip all the best abroad in his new ambassadorial role and hope that his successor, Doris Tlakude, will work hard to put Parliament and South Africa first.

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 2 March 2016