National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has confirmed that the rules committee which concluded on Wednesday night agreed that the MK Party has become the official opposition in the National Assembly.
Didiza confirmed this during a brief interview with Newzroom Afrika on Thursday, just hours before President Cyril Ramaphosa was due to address the opening of Parliament for the seventh administration.
“The rules committee did meet yesterday at 6pm to 8pm at night and received the report from the subcommittee of the rules committee whose recommendations were actually accepted by the rules committee that the official opposition will be the MK Party which is not in government,” she said.
The MK Party, which is the third-biggest party after the ANC and the DA following the May 29 elections, has become the official opposition party by virtue of being outside the Government of National Unity (GNU) comprising the ANC, the DA and other smaller political parties such as the UDM, PAC, PA and others.
The MK Party and other parties belonging to the Progressive Caucus including the EFF and the ATM addressed the media on Thursday.
Speaking during the briefing of the Progressive Caucus, EFF leader Julius Malema accused the UDM and PAC of selling out to the ANC and DA-led GNU.
“UDM, PAC have sold out and we are extremely offended by that because even when they were abandoning us they never came back to us to say count us out. That is an act of cowardice. A genuine, legitimate leader, once they change their minds they have to come back and say, guys do not count on us because we have eaten hot food from the other side, therefore, we are unable to continue with the agenda,” he said.
MK Party leader in Parliament, Dr John Hlophe, indicated that the caucus of progressive parties will work as a forum to achieve the liberation of all South Africans against the GNU.
“The Progressive Caucus was formed in the context of the seventh Parliament. It will not be limited to Parliament but will serve as a forum to achieve its objectives. We shall work together to broaden our collaboration and co-operate with all progressive formations of the working class and people in general. We shall mobilise and reach out to progressive formations of workers, the landless, traditional and religious leaders and all progressive forces outside Parliament,” said Hlophe.
The Star