The ANC caucus in Gauteng has wished Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela well following her re-election to her previous position unopposed by the Gauteng provincial legislature on Thursday.
On Thursday, the Gauteng legislature re-elected Mhlakaza-Manamela as its deputy speaker after DA member and elected deputy speaker Refiloe Nt’sekhe was withdrawn by the party following deadlocked talks between the DA and the ANC on the formation of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
Mhlakaza-Manamela was elected during a special sitting convened by the provincial speaker of the legislature, Marokane Mosupye.
Gauteng ANC caucus leader Lesego Makhubela welcomed Mhlakaza-Manamela back to her position, saying the caucus derived much confidence from her experience and leadership.
Makhubela said: “We are most certain as the caucus that comrade Mhlakaza-Manamela is equal to all the tasks that lie ahead of her. This morning, on Thursday, 11 July, the speaker of the Gauteng provincial legislature successfully, convened a special house sitting of the legislature.
“It is with absolute glee that the caucus of the ANC in the Gauteng provincial legislature, welcomes the election of comrade Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela. Her election follows the unsound decision of the erratic Democratic Alliance to recall their ephemeral deputy speaker, Ms Refiloe Nt’sekhe, in a desperate attempt to collapse the construction of the Gauteng Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), which its main priority is to ensure that the people of the province are increasingly receiving services from the government.”
Last week in a statement, DA provincial leader Solly Msimanga said the party had decided to remove itself from any association with the new members of the provincial council after prolonged engagements involving various senior members of both the ANC and DA
Msimanga said the DA was unable to accept some of the terms of the stalled negotiations.
Msimanga said: “There is no need for us to continue having the deputy speaker if we are not going to follow it up with all the other things that we said we wanted to introduce in that particular space.
“So Refiloe is not going to continue to be the deputy speaker in Gauteng. This does not talk to what we wanted to achieve in this government ... The offer made to the DA was and continues to be one we find both unfair and unreasonable.
“It is, however, impossible for the DA to be co-opted into government as we are meant to be power-sharing partners.“
Nt’sekhe was then instructed to resign with immediate effect following the stalled talks.
This resulted in the ANC-led GPU government having to find a replacement for Nt’sekhe, resulting in the ANC selecting its own candidate in
Mhlakaza-Manamela was elected after Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara nominated her and ANC chief whip Makhubela seconded the nomination.
Mhlakaza-Manamela is no stranger to this position having served as the deputy speaker in the sixth administration.
In her acceptance speech, Mhlakaza-Manamela promised the people of Gauteng the ANC would deliver on the mandate given to the seventh administration and urged all the parties represented in the legislature to deliver on the same mandate entrusted to them by the citizens of the province.
“We must put our egos aside, our political caps aside, but importantly, let’s go and continue with the work of servicing citizens.
“Importantly, chair, as a last point, we inherited this institution from our predecessors and they gave it to us with credibility and dignity. I request that we continue where those who have walked before us in keeping the dignity and decorum of this institution. We will not collapse this house," she said.
The Star