Johannesburg - Suspended Speaker of the Limpopo legislature Merriam Ramadwa remained defiant in the face of impending charges by her party.
The ANC’s provincial working committee confirmed on Monday that Ramadwa’s party membership has been temporarily suspended.
She may not represent it in any capacity or enter the legislature’s premises.
But late on Monday, Ramadwa said she remained the Speaker. “I received a letter of temporary suspension. I’m dealing with my day-to-day issues… as the Speaker.”
Her defiance lay bare the infighting within the provincial ANC, under chairman and Premier Stan Mathabatha.
ANC provincial spokeswoman Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Ramadwa was given a letter of suspension and her party membership was suspended, pending a disciplinary hearing. “Her membership is temporally suspended, she can’t act as a member and she can’t represent the ANC in any capacity.”
Ramadwa was the first senior party leader to be hauled before a disciplinary under Mathabatha’s leadership.
She also became the first senior official to openly defy the premier.
The Star first reported in May that Ramadwa caused consternation in Mathabatha’s administration by refusing to resign as Speaker.
The premier had wanted her to swop positions with ANC MP Polly Boshielo. But Ramadwa had refused to resign as either Speaker or MPL.
At the time, sources said Mathabatha’s strategy was to see Ramadwa’s back because he wanted to thwart the internal rebellion that was said to be orchestrating his removal from power.
The ANC responded by swopping Boshielo with former provincial secretary Joe Maswanganyi.
But Ramadwa refused to step down.
An ANC MPL, who is close to Ramadwa, said the party’s provincial working committee had no authority to remove her as Speaker. The source said only the legislature could remove her.
“It can only happen through a motion of no confidence,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.
Although the ANC has a resounding majority in the legislature, the insider said Mathabatha was not sure if all his MPLs would toe the line and vote Ramadwa out.
“She’s daring him to push for a motion of no confidence. He can’t do it because he may be embarrassed if his MPLs defy him,” the source said.
The SACP’s Alpheus Malivha region (Vhembe) weighed in on Ramadwa’s suspension. Regional secretary Rudzani Ramugumo likened the suspension to a coup d’état.
He said that ordering the Speaker not to enter the legislature precinct was an attack on the constitution.
Ramadwa was demoted as MEC by Mathabatha after last year’s elections.