Smith’s request to step down from committees granted

The African National Congress’s (ANC) political committee has granted party MP Vincent Smith’s request to step aside as chairperson of various portfolio committees.

This was announced by the office of the ANC Chief Whip in Parliament, on Thursday.

Smith had asked to be removed as chairman of the various committee until a probe into allegations that he received large sums of money from a private consortium were finalised.

It was recently reported that Smith was paid at least R670 000 by facilities management group Bosasa over the past three years, and that he accepted the installation of electric fences and a CCTV system at his home.

Smith’s replacements will be Standford Maila, who will be the Acting Co-Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Constitutional Review; Madipoane Mothapo who will be the Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, and Nthabiseng Khunou who will be the Acting Chairperson of the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General.

Smith was serving in all three committee.