It is “utter nonsense” that some ANC MPs are placed in key positions in Parliament to frustrate President Cyril Ramaphosa’s reform project, the newly elected chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Faith Muthambi, said on Tuesday.

“I think it is utter nonsense,” she said in response to a question at an impromptu media briefing shortly after her election to the position. 

“Because all of us, we are leaders in our own right. We are all members of the ruling party,” she said.

“No reasonable person would then act against his own party mandate. We are here, we complement each other.”

She said the role of committee chairpersons was to maintain oversight over departments and government entities.

“So, I need to allay that fear, to say there is nothing like that. I will say that is utter rubbish, because all of us, we are here with the same mandate.”

She said they had a responsibility to ensure that government’s policy directives were implemented, echoing the sentiment of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule, who recently told News24 that his legacy would be the implementation of the ANC’s policy resolutions. 

The 5th Parliament’s ad hoc committee, which conducted an inquiry into the SABC board, had a slew of findings against Muthambi, including that she was incompetent as minister of communications.

Parliament’s legal advisors found that she had tried to mislead the committee. The #GuptaLeaks also revealed that she allegedly sent classified Cabinet information to the Guptas. The Public Service Commission made adverse findings against her for actions while she was minister of public service and administration.

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Asked about questions of her character, Muthambi said she has been elected as a member of Parliament. “So that doesn’t worry me a great deal. I’ve gone through that test; there have been objections raised.

“Believe I’m a fit and proper person to serve on this committee.

“If I was not a fit and proper person, I would not be here.”