ANC appointment of Travelgate MP as chief whip another example of ruling party's skewed moral compass

The ANC's decision to appoint Mnyamezeli Booi, who is still facing fraud charges in relation to the Travelgate scandal, as its chief whip in the National Assembly, is yet another example of how the ruling party has completely lost its moral compass.

Booi is accused of defrauding Parliament of R140 000 as part of the Travelgate scandal. The charges he faces include allegedly using taxpayers' money to pay for air tickets and hotel accommodation for his friends. Now he has been rewarded with a job with a salary worth approximately a R1 million of taxpayers' money.

At the very least the ANC should have refrained from appointing him until he has been cleared by the courts. The majority party must now give the assurance that if he is found guilty, or to have violated any parliamentary procedures, he will be removed from his position.

Booi's appointment is also a testament to the ANC's contempt for Parliament. By elevating him to the head of the whippery of the party in the National Assembly, the ANC has demonstrated just how little regard it has for the integrity of Parliament.

This appointment is in line with the ANC's tendency to reserve the post of Chief Whip for individuals with a dubious moral standing. Two former ANC chief whips, Tony Yengeni and Mbulelo Goniwe, were expelled from their positions under clouds of controversy for corruption and allegations of sexual harassment, respectively.

It is absolutely necessary that the individual who occupies the Office of the Chief Whip is beyond reproach because he performs a critical function in ensuring the smooth and proper functioning of Parliament. The role of a chief whip in Parliament comes with many responsibilities. These includes, inter alia,

• Arranging business on the Order Paper;
• Maintaining discipline among majority party members; and
• Chairing the Chief Whips Forum.

Hon. Booi is the seventh ANC Chief Whip in seven years. It remains to be seen whether he will last longer than his predecessors, but judging by his already tarnished record, it seems likely that he will follow them into a tenure plagued by controversy.

Statement issued by Ian Davidson, MP, Democratic Alliance chief whip, October 24 2008