Parly cuts MK Party costs from budget of NA’s inaugural session

Parliament has cancelled the accommodation and flights for MK Party members who were meant to be sworn in as Members of Parliament on Friday.

Parliament says this is to avoid fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

The move follows the party’s announcement that it wouldn’t attend the inaugural session of the Nation Assembly and the National Council of Provinces over its unhappiness with the elections results.

Jacob Zuma’s party had also attempted to interdict the sitting, by approaching the Constitutional Court, saying the unresolved objections raised by political parties during elections render the convening of the National Assembly and its activities unconstitutional.

Citing its Constitutional obligation to carry out its duties, Parliament says it remains committed to ensure that the country’s established democratic processes and procedures are upheld in accordance with the law.

The expelled founder of the MK Party, Jabulani Khumalo, agrees with Parliament.

He has directed those who were on the party’s candidate list to the National Assembly to ignore Zuma’s direction not to attend the inaugural sitting of the House.

Khumalo, who appears first on the party’s candidate list, penned a letter in his capacity as the party’s leader.

“Our members of parliament will be present for their swearing-in on the designated date. The purported MK communication to the effect that Parliament is not constituted based on the supposed absence of 58 MK members of parliament is misguided in law and frankly embarrassing.”

Khumalo is still awaiting a court’s decision on his fate in the party after he hauled the organisation to the Electoral Court, contesting his removal as party leader.

Political analyst, Professor Dirk Kotze, agrees that the absence of the MK Party in Parliament will not have any bearing on the election of a Speaker and President.

Kotze says there are no prospects of success in the MK Party’s legal challenge.

“I expect that it will not be successful and granted and therefore the process of parliament will continue.”

The scholar has labelled the move by the MK Party as face-saving, after failing to secure a promised two-thirds majority in the recent polls.

“They are 50% below the two-thirds majority and now they must explain to everyone. So, they are now using the conspiracy theory approach, that they are victims of Ramaphosa’s government and administration, that the IEC and the courts are against them.”

He says only one-third of parliament is needed to elect the Speaker of the National Assembly and the President of the country.

Political Parties are on the other hand still locked in talks as they race against time to set up the 7th administration.

The ANC has proposed a Government of National Unity (GNU), which has received mixed reactions from various parties.

The Patriotic Alliance is among the parties that are in support of the proposal.

The party’s deputy president, Kenny Kunene, says they are waiting to see what offers the ANC will put on the table.

Kunene says they will engage the ANC, despite attempts from some ANC members who are allegedly trying to convince the PA to stay of out the GNU.

Political parties were given 14 days after the announcement of the 2024 election results to form the highly awaited administration.