Parliament - Parliament and SAPS have agreed to provide security to ANC MP Makhosi Khoza following a number of death threats against her.
The latest threat against Khoza came last week, with a warning that she had 21 days to live.
Speaker Baleka Mbete and National Council of Provinces chairperson Thandi Modise said on Tuesday that after consultations with the SAPS, they had agreed that Khoza needed security.
Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the decision came after a security assessment had been done on Khoza.
Khoza could not be reached for comment Tuesday night as she was flying out of Joburg following her participation in an initiative calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down from the presidency.
Almost 100 civil society organisations, Khoza and prominent South Africans took part in the initiative that was organised by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and Save South Africa.
Mothapo said there were earlier threats in April, when Khoza and members of the portfolio committee on public service and administration, which she chairs, visited a health facility in Mpumalanga.
Mbete received a report following this incident.
She then referred the matter to the police to look into it.
Mothapo said the police conducted a security assessment and last week Thursday submitted the report to the Speaker and Modise.
“The security assessment confirmed that a security threat existed and that appropriate support must be provided to Dr Khoza,” said Mothapo.
“In this regard Parliament is working with SAPS to ensure that the two institutions collaboratively provide the necessary support to Dr Khoza as soon as possible,” he said.
“Dr Khoza will accordingly be advised of the arrangements,” said Mothapo.
A number of parties and civil society groups have been calling for Parliament and the police to provide security for Khoza following the death threats.
Khoza has said the threats were directed not only at her, but also at her children.
Last month she was forced to leave her home in Durban after alleged threats by the ANC Youth League in eThekwini.
But the Youth League denied it had made public her home address and had threatened her.
Khoza has spoken out against Zuma and, on Tuesday, called for him to go.
She even wrote to Mbete asking for a secret ballot in the motion of no confidence against Zuma on August 8.
Khoza was a member of the standing committee on Finance before she was appointed to chair the portfolio committee on public service and administration.
During the ANC policy conference last month, when she spoke out against Zuma, the ANC head of organising Fikile Mbalula warned that party MPs who vote against Zuma will face disciplinary action.
He insisted that ANC MPs have to toe the party line.
This was reiterated by the office of the ANC Chief Whip, Jackson Mthembu, who stated that MPs had to toe the party line, and not back the opposition.