News24.com | Mashatile cracks the whip, refers Dlamini-Zuma to ANC disciplinary committee

• Acting ANC secretary-general Paul Mashatile has written to party veteran Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, informing her that she will be hauled before the party's disciplinary committee.
• The decision was made after the ANC's top officials received a report from ANC parliamentary chief whip Pemmy Majodina.
• Dlamini-Zuma went against the party and voted for Parliament to adopt of the Section 89 panel's report on Phala Phala.

Acting ANC secretary-general Paul Mashatile has referred minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to the ANC's disciplinary committee for defying the party by voting for the adoption of the Section 89 panel's report on President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala dealings.

In a letter addressed to Dlamini-Zuma, dated 14 December, seen by News24, Mashatile indicated that he decided to refer her to the committee after receiving a report from ANC parliamentary chief whip Pemmy Majodina.

According to Mashatile's letter, Majodina informed the top officials in her report that several ANC MPs, including Dlamini-Zuma, voted against the position adopted by the party's national executive committee (NEC) and the ANC caucus. The NEC and caucus had resolved that ANC MPs would vote against the adoption of the Phala Phala report by the Section 89 panel.

Mashatile informed Dlamini-Zuma that because she had not toed the party line, she would be hauled before the ANC disciplinary committee chaired by Ralph Mgijima.

READ | ANC MPs who defied party in Phala Phala vote will be disciplined - Paul Mashatile

Mashatile cited that in her actions, Dlamini-Zuma "undermined the respect for and impeded the functioning of the ANC".

This came after Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday went against party instructions to vote against the adoption of the Section 89 report.

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During an open ballot where MPs stood up and announced their votes, Dlamini-Zuma said that, as a disciplined member of the ANC, she was voting for the adoption of the report.

Addressing the media on Wednesday night at the Gauteng ANC's general provincial council, Mashatile confirmed that all members who defied the party would be referred to the disciplinary committee.

He said it was inconsequential that the members felt they could not express themselves at the party's two special NEC meetings.

READ | Phala Phala: Sisulu did not vote on report because she was outside reading a text message

"They (the members who voted against the party line) will have to go and express that view to the disciplinary committee," said Mashatile.

The ANC's special NEC meeting two weeks ago resolved to instruct party MPs to vote against the adoption of the report, citing Ramaphosa's approach to the Constitutional Court challenging the report.