MK Party's budget vote confusion in National Assembly

Drama played out during the adoption of the Budget in the National Assembly this week when the MK Party supported the Appropriation Bill only to change its vote despite rejecting every departmental budget.

The party’s chief whip Colleen Makhubele blamed the confusion on mistakenly casting their vote for the Ad Hoc Committee that was established to probe allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during the marathon session.

The unexpected vote of the official opposition unfolded soon after all the 42 schedules were agreed to.

House chairperson Cedric Frolick had asked the National Assembly Secretary to read the Fifth Order, which was the next to be considered on the agenda after the schedule of vote of department.

Frolick then immediately corrected himself that it was going to be the time for Fourth Order, which was meant to agree on the Appropriation Bill after consultation with the officials.

The EFF was the first to object and called for the division, a move that led to Makhubele accusing Frolick of not recognising her hand first.

When the voting took place, the ANC voted in favour with 140 votes, followed by the support of the DA with 74 in support and then MK Party supporting with 49.

The EFF voted against with 35.

When Frolick asked Makhubele to clarify her party’s vote, she said: “49 in support.”

ACDP chief whip Steven Swart suggested that there might be confusion on which item that was being dealt.

In response, Frolick said he had been explicit that they were dealing with the Fourth Order.

“I followed the procedure and the EFF was the last one to indicate and now I am with the IFP,” he said.

Voting by other parties continued with the Patriotic Alliance. Its chief whip Marlon Daniels said his party “follows the lead of MK Party with eight votes in support”.

After the voting session had closed, Makhubele stated that she had mistakenly thought that they were dealing with the Ad Hoc Committee.

“We are changing our vote. We will support the Ad Hoc committee when it comes. That was confusion,” Makhubele added.

Frolick agreed that there was confusion in terms of the MK Party’s vote.

“The party has now changed the vote three times. What is your final position?” he enquired.

In response Makhubele said: “I am just a new chief. I will make errors so relax. We are voting against this.”

DA chief whip George Michalakis said the parliamentary rules did not provide once the voting has closed for parties to change their vote. 

“That will be highly irregular to allow parties to change their vote once a vote has closed,” Michalakis said.

But, Frolick blamed the confusion on the disorderly conduct that was taking place in the House.

“I called the member on more than one occasion to vote in a particular manner.”

He then announced the results that the Second Reading of the Appropriation bill was agreed to with 256 in favour and the MK Party’s votes included among the 87 that voted against.

“No abstention and the Second Reading is agreed to,” Frolick said, adding the bill was to be sent to the national Council of Provinces for concurrence.

He maintained that even if there was a rerun of the vote, it would not make a material difference on the outcome.

Frolick stood his ground when EFF leader Julius Malema maintained that he made a bad judgement because he set a wrong precedent.

“You ruled in our favour but that was not in line. You are making this process to have a problem of legitimacy and credibility. This has to be the most respected process that you don’t make the mistake,” said Malema, referring to Frolick when he overruled the MK Party when it was outsmarted by the EFF earlier in objecting and calling for division on the schedule of all the votes.

Frolick was unmoved, saying there would no material difference to outcome of the vote.

“The majority voted in support of the Second Reading,” he said.

Cape Times