Zuma appoints Des van Rooyen as acting parliamentary leader of MKP

FORMER president Jacob Zuma has appointed Des van Rooyen as uMkhonto weSizwe Party's (MKP) acting parliamentary leader, the post held by suspended party deputy president, Dr John Hlophe.

- BONGANI HANS

The MKP announced on November 5 that Hlophe had been suspended from party activities pending a full investigation into his conduct.

It accused Hlophe of replacing Collen Makhubele with Van Rooyen as the parliamentary chief whip without consulting members of the party's National High Command, of which he is a member.

He allegedly took this decision while Zuma was out of the country, visiting the President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré.

Upon his return and being briefed about the new development in the MKP's parliamentary caucus, Zuma suspended Hlophe and reinstated Makhubele.

However, in the latest developments, MKP's national spokesperson Sipho Tyira told the media last week Friday that Van Rooyen has been appointed as acting parliamentary leader while Hlophe remains an active MP and MKP member.