Cape Town - African National Congress members need to think deeply about the path the party is on, former tourism minister Derek Hanekom said on Thursday.
He would remain an ANC MP and not follow his colleagues Tina Joemat-Pettersson, Mcebisi Jonas and Dipuo Peters out of the door at Parliament.
"My plan is to stay on until the end of this term, until 2019.
"All parties have internal discipline structures, but MPs also have a duty to serve the country and uphold the Constitution," he told News24 on the side-lines of Ahmed Kathrada's memorial in Cape Town.
He said he had not yet seen ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu's statement on Thursday that no ANC MP would defy the party line in the vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on April 18.
"Everyone at this stage has to reflect very deeply, and ask: Are we on the right road?"
He said it was good for a political party to enjoy the confidence of the people and the investor community. Then Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet last Thursday. Hanekom was one of those who lost his job.
"We know that what happened destroyed the confidence that the investor community had in South Africa, and who gets most affected? It's poor working class people who get most affected. We also have to ask who benefits."
Intentions
He would not comment on whether the party's decision to force its MPs to vote a certain way was correct, or if it would change his mind.
"You know by now that we are not afraid to raise some of these issues in our national executive committee and even in our own caucus.
"Obviously I share the concerns of many South Africans that the motive for the reshuffling, the way it was done, and the underlying intentions, were not noble."
If asked, he would serve as minister again.
"That's not what it's about though. It's about serving the people of the country with integrity."
Hanekom surprised an ANC NEC meeting in November when he brought a motion of no confidence in Zuma. After a fierce debate, no vote took place and Zuma stayed on as president.
