Johannesburg - ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu says former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba has put the interests of the ANC and the country first in his decision to resign.
Mthembu was reacting to Gigaba's resignation as an ANC Member of Parliament, days after he had resigned as home affairs minister.
“We appreciate the fact that comrade Gigaba has put the interests of the ANC and that of the country first, which has informed his line of action. This is what we expect from any cadre of our glorious movement, of which comrade Gigaba has remained true to,” said Mthembu.
The speaker's office confirmed on Thursday that Gigaba had handed in his resignation letter.
Gigaba said in resignation letter: “It was indeed my honour and privilege to have been of service to our people in this High Office. I am also grateful that my organisation afforded me this honour."
Gigaba had served as an ANC MP since 1999. He previously held a leadership position in the ANC Youth League as its president.
While in Parliament he served in various committees including the trade and industry committee and the committee of agriculture and land affairs.
He first served as deputy home affairs minister in 2004 and then later as a minister of home affairs, minister of public enterprises and a short stint as the minister of finance.
Calls mounted for Gigaba to resign after he was embroiled in scandal, regarding the legal action between himself and the Oppenheimers over the VVIP terminal. The Gauteng High Court ruled that Gigaba had lied under oath over the matter.
The minister was dealt a blow when the Constitutional Court dismissed his application to appeal the high court ruling. The court said the case was unlikely to succeed.
This was the second blow for Gigaba after the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found that Gigaba violated the constitution and the executive ethics code when he told untruths under oath in court.