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Two ANC MPs resign amid talks of impending Cabinet reshuffle by Ramaphosa

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ANC MP Mervyn Dirks has tendered his resignation.


ANC MP Mervyn Dirks has tendered his resignation.

  • Mervyn Dirks and Tshilidzi Munyai tendered their resignations.
  • The two MPs’ resignations come amid talks of an impending Cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
  • Following the ANC’s elective conference in December, Ramaphosa is expected to make changes to the executive.

Two ANC MPs have resigned amid widespread talks of an impending Cabinet reshuffle by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Parliament’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, on Monday announced that MPs Mervyn Dirks and Tshilidzi Munyai had tendered their resignations.

This comes just days after Deputy President David Mabuza informed Ramaphosa of his intention to resign.

Mabuza cited the “importance of aligning party leadership roles with government responsibilities” as part of his motivating factor to step aside for the newly elected deputy president of the ANC, Paul Mashatile.

Following engagements with Ramaphosa, Mabuza’s office told News24 last week that the latter was of the view it was important to have the same individual deputising in the party and state.

READ | Mabuza ready to step aside for Mashatile to serve as country’s deputy president

Several other changes could be made to Ramaphosa’s executive, with talks of a possible return for the former mayor of Johannesburg, Parks Tau.

Days before the ANC’s December elective conference last year, Dirks led a group of ANC MPs who were confident that their numbers could trigger Ramaphosa’s impeachment due to the Phala Phala saga.

Earlier this year, Dirks lodged a complaint with Public Protector’s office.

His complaint was related to an audio clip, in which someone who sounded like Ramaphosa could be heard admitting that he was aware the ANC had used public funds for party purposes.

The person suggested that the funds came from the State Security Agency (SSA).

READ | Pieter du Toit | Leaderless, clueless and talentless: Five reasons why the ANC is screwed

Dirks wrote to the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa), Mkhuleko Hlengwa, to ask that Ramaphosa be investigated – after which the ANC suspended Dirks.

He took the matter to court, and it was dismissed. He was then admitted to the Scopa meeting, despite his suspension.

Munyai, a longstanding MP, was a member of the National Assembly’s health portfolio committee.

He was a strong defender of the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) – and spoke out strongly against the dire state of the country’s healthcare facilities.


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