NEW ANC CHIEF WHIP: NOT A NEW THREAT TO PARLIAMENT ‘S OVERSIGHT ROLE
Yesterday, at the ANC’s first parliamentary caucus meeting of the year, Chief Whip Isaac Mogase was removed from his position and was replaced by ANC MP Nathi Mthethwa (chairperson of the Minerals and Energy Portfolio Committee).
This parliamentary leadership reshuffle comes as no surprise seeing as Mthethwa serves on the newly elected NEC and is a Jacob Zuma supporter. The ANC’s explanation for the change is to “to ensure there was a synergy between the party’s parliamentary leadership and its national leadership”. Translated, it merely serves to demonstrate further evidence of the ANC’s new leadership attempting to tighten is grip on its MP’s in Parliament – representatives who are meant to exercise oversight over this very leadership.
The role of Chief Whip in Parliament comes with many responsibilities. The National Assembly Guide to Procedure lists the following main functions he/she is expected to perform:
•Arranges business on the Order Paper, subject to the Rules and the
directives of the Programme Committee, and the concurrence of the
Leader of Government Business where Government business is
concerned.
•Is responsible for discipline among majority party members, ensuring, for
example, that enough members are in the House to form a majority in the
event of a division.
•Chairs the Chief Whips Forum (see below) and is responsible for political
consultation among parties in the Assembly.
•Moves most formal procedural motions in the Assembly that are not
initiated by opposition parties.
• Considers requests by committees to sit beyond the seat of Parliament or
during sittings of the Assembly (subject in some instances to consultation
with the Speaker) (Rule 223).
The ANC on announcing the appointment of Mthethwa added, amongst other things, the following on the role of Chief Whip of the Majority Party on its website website:
”The Chief Whip of the Majority Party, is the most senior ANC Whip, upon whom rests the ultimate responsibility for the actions of all ANC MP's. It is the task of the Chief Whip to ensure that all ANC MP's perform their functions efficiently. The Chief Whip, is the most senior party Parliamentary Office Bearer; is the political manager and strategist for ANC Caucus and acts as a communications link between ANC MP's and the Executive (Cabinet). The Chief Whip acts on delegated authority from the NEC and the Political Committee. In executing this mandate the Chief Whip delegates authority to other Whips and Members as the circumstances may determine.”
(The ANC’s job description clears up any confusion that exists regarding whether the new leadership deems it important to have a Chief Whip who is loyal to its cause.)
However, more importantly, both the NA guide to procedure and the ANC’s description highlight the vital role the Chief Whip plays in ensuring discipline amongst ANC MPs.
Looking back at the past few years one can only question how successful the Chief Whip of the Majority Party has been when it comes to fulfilling this role.
Firstly, since 2001, there have been five ANC Chief Whips:
•Tony Yengeni: appointed in November 1998 and resigned in October 2001
•Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula: appointed in December 2001 and redeployed as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs in May 2002
•Nkosinathi Nhleko: appointed in May 2002 and redeployed as NA House Chairperson in June 2004
•Mbulelo Goniwe: appointed in May 2002 and axed in December 2006
•Isaac Mogase: appointed in August 2007 and replaced in January 2008.
In other words, two of these Chief Whips served in this position for less than five months namely Mapisa-Nqakula and Mogase. It is highly unlikely these short stints could have led to any form of order or control being asserted over the party at the time.
Secondly, and more importantly, two of the remaining three were expelled from their Ch
| Posted on 25/1/2008
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