Former Deputy Minister of Finance and ANC MP Sfiso Buthelezi has been elected chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations – beating the DA’s Dennis Joseph with a majority vote in the race.
The two were nominated to become committee chairpersons. The Appropriations Committee is just one of the Parliamentary committees which were officially constituted starting with the election of the chairperson. The election was presided over by Committee Secretary Darrin Arends who declared Buthelezi Committee Chairperson after voting took place.
“Mr Sfiso Buthelezi having receive the majority of the votes is hereby declared chairperson of the Standing Committee on Appropriations. Congratulations Mr Buthelezi… I would ask you to take your seat as committee chairperson…Buthelezi: Thank you Mr Arends for organising the meeting, and I would like to thank the committee for giving me the responsibility that you have just given me. I think what’s also good is that there was democracy at play. So I welcome Mr Joseph’s standing as a candidate, and should always ensure that we don’t just speak democracy but practice it. Thank you very much”
Meanwhile, Former Deputy Finance Minister and ANC MP Mondli Gungubele has beaten DA MP Bridget Masango to be elected chairperson of the Social Development Portfolio Committee in Parliament. Gungubele received six votes against Masango’s two votes. Three MPs did not participate in the voting. When he took the chair after his election, Gungubele made an undertaking that the committee will serve the people of the country and not a particular political party.
He said, “May I take my opportunity to express my humble gratitude for the honour to occupy a seat which is not so simple. I make an undertaking to be a servant of this committee to the best of my ability. And in so doing being the servant of the country. And I expect that we are going to work together with nothing in mind other than pursuit of the welfare of the people of this country. Not people of a particular party,- people of this country.”
