ANC MP Vincent Smith says he is happy that the ANC Political Committee has granted him the request to step aside as chairperson on three committees. The ANC’s Political Committee took the decision on Wednesday when ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu presented Smith’s request.
The Ethics Committee will investigate Smith’s conduct after he allegedly received payments of close to R700 000 from Bosasa security company. But, Mthembu says Smith will continue to serve as an ordinary member in the committees.
Smith spoke to SABC News in Parliament: ” Yes I will continue to participate in all the committees and contribute as I have contributed all along. It was my request to ask the ANC at least to afford me the opportunity to clear my name, so I am happy that that is the case. And once the processes have been concluded, I am more than willing to answer any other questions that the media has. But for now, I welcome the fact that the ANC has acceded to my request, humbly so, and I am glad for that. It’s never been a matter of positions for me, it’s been a matter of contributing and I will continue to contribute in the Auditor General, I will continue to contribute in Justice and in the CRC (Constitutional Review Committee) as an ordinary member. No problem whatsoever.”
Meanwhile, Standford Maila will be the Acting Co-Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Constitutional Review.
Madipoane Mothapo will be the Acting Chairperson of Justice and Correctional Services.
Nthabiseng Khunou will be the Acting Chairperson of the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General.
Earlier ANC Caucus Spokesperson Nonceba Mhlauli said, “Comrade Smith has requested to step aside as chairperson of the portfolio committee he chairs and not as a Member of Parliament. Therefore, he continues to be an ordinary member of all portfolio committees that he is a member of and in fact, today he was in the Joint Constitutional Review Committee,”
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