By Deon de Lange
The ANC is struggling to keep pace with the rate at which its MPs are resigning from the National Assembly, precipitated largely by the governing party's dramatic axing of former president Thabo Mbeki.
ANC chief whip Nyamezeli Booi, himself recently appointed, yesterday announced the appointment of five new MPs to replace some of those who resigned in protest after Mbeki was "recalled" by the ANC in September.
But six vacancies remain - and the party is scrambling to find replacements as its registered list of candidates dries up.
This has forced it to go back to the drawing board to look for potential MPs, despite recent assurances by caucus spokesperson Khotso Khumalo.
"If 100 MPs resign tomorrow, we will have 100 new members. There are many able men and women who have been waiting patiently for 14 years," he told The Star in October.
But finding "able men and women" - and getting them on the lists required by the Electoral Act - may take a little longer.
Christopher Fankomo (Mpumalanga), Christin Mashishi (Limpopo), Sally Moiloa-Nqodi (Gauteng) and Freda Joan Wright (Gauteng) became the newest members of the legislature yesterday.
They have filled vacancies created by the shock resignations of former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and former ministers Ronnie Kasrils (Intelligence), Sydney Mufamadi (Provincial and Local Government) and Essop Pahad (Presidency). Tshoganetso Gasebonwe (Northern Cape) has replaced former MP Tshepiso Ramphele, who was recently redeployed as a municipal manager.
Booi dismissed suggestions that more MPs planned to jump ship as nothing more than "media reports", but qualified this with the pragmatic undertaking to keep an open mind to the possibility - and that such deserters would be sent off with the ANC's best wishes.
He also said there would be no witchhunt to sniff out MPs who planned to defect.
But he warned that the ANC's branch, regional and provincial structures would keep an eye on MPs as they did the rounds in constituencies and that the party would act against those who were actively recruiting or organising for the rebel movement.