THE continued exodus of former ministers, who have opted to resign as Members of Parliament raises some serious questions about their real motives.
Since the sixth government administration came into being, we have seen seven former cabinet ministers, who were deployed by the ANC to parliament, tendering their resignations to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise.
We have been made aware that their actions are motivated by the fear that their pensions will be severely affected, should they continue serving as back benchers, as opposed to being cabinet ministers.
In other words, by resigning while still as cabinet ministers, they will receive bigger pension payouts.
Whether or not there is substance to this allegation or motive is immaterial.
What matters most is that these people could be deemed to have betrayed the people who voted for their parties.
I for one have a serious problem with this behaviour by these former ministers, particularly if they come from the ANC.
Maybe the time is right to start asking the question whether people go to parliament to advance their personal, self-enrichment desires or to serve the nation in the best possible way?
There is an ANC oath which reads as follows: ‘I (insert name), solemnly declare that I will abide by the aims and objectives of the ANC as set out in the Constitution, the Freedom Charter and other duly adopted policy positions, that I am joining the organisation voluntarily and without motives of material advantage or personal gain, that I agree to respect the Constitution and the structures and to work as a loyal member of the organisation and carry out tasks given to me, that I will work towards making the ANC an even more effective instrument of liberation in the hands of the people, and that I will defend the unity and integrity of the organisation and its principles and combat any tendency towards disruption and factionalism.’
It appears to me that these former ministers who have opted to resign from parliament have deviated from the allegiance to their party’s oath.
It was the ANC that deployed them to parliament, not the other way round.
These members did not apply to become members of parliament, but were sent there as part of advancing the interest of their political party and that of the nation.
Some of the names of those who have opted to resign include Jeff Radebe, Nomaindia Mfeketo, Thokozile Xasa, Susan Shabangu, Mduduzi Manana, Siyabonga Cwele and Dipou Letsatsi-Duba
.I do know that they are not the only ones who have done something like this.
We have seen such tendencies even during the era of former president Jacob Zuma.
It may happen that their actions are also fuelled by the disappointment that they did not make it in the new cabinet, but surely they should know better that it is President Cyril Ramaphosa’s prerogative to appoint and fire members of cabinet?
Even school kids know that members of the cabinet serve at the pleasure of the president.
So, from a distance it appears as if this, after all, is about money and very little about serving the nation.
