DURBAN: Makhosi Khoza’s demotion from parliamentary portfolio committee chairperson to an ordinary ANC MP, will result in a salary cut.
As chairperson of the public service and administration committee, Khoza earned well over a R1 million a year with a monthly salary of close to R115 000.
Her salary will be cut by more than R300 000 a year.
Khoza has denied claims she is joining an opposition party, saying on Facebook: “I look forward to being a backbencher.”
The ANC axed her this week from her role as portfolio committee chairperson, citing an “irretrievable breakdown” of her relationship with other ANC MPs.
Five ANC MPs did not pitch for a sitting this week, saying they could not work with Khoza who has publicly called for President Jacob Zuma to step down.
The ANC said it would take disciplinary action against the five for missing the committee meeting.
After her sacking, Khoza appeared unperturbed and wrote in a Facebook post that “life is beautiful with all its harsh blows”.
She has referred to Zuma as an “amoral leader”. Her comments triggered the ANC Youth League in KZN to call for her to be recalled from Parliament.
Her woes are not over yet. She still faces a disciplinary hearing on September 10 for ill-discipline and bringing the party into disrepute, in a case brought by the ANC in KZN.
“Please don’t listen to them when they say I’m going to join the DA. Their intelligence once more is wrong. I’m not and will never,” she said in her Facebook post.
Khoza said she was not going to leave the ANC, a party she joined at the age of 12.
She said she voted to remove Zuma because he did not have the interests of South Africans at heart.
This drew a barrage of criticism within her party, but some sang her praises.
The ANC in KZN has said it wants her removed from all her parliamentary involvements.
“Like a wife in an abusive relationship, I’m still hoping that sanity will prevail,” Khoza said.