Johannesburg - The ANC Chief Whip's Office says Mduduzi Manana's resignation as an MP is a sign that the embattled leader has "taken responsibility and shown remorse" for his past actions.
This comes as the office confirmed it had received Manana's resignation letter, dated July 24, which noted his "voluntary withdrawal of membership from the National Assembly with immediate effect".
Jackson Mthembu in a statement said his office not only took note of Manana's resignation but also his statement of intention to take part in campaigns tackling gender-based violence.
"His voluntary resignation from Parliament, coupled with his resignation from the executive in 2017, is indicative of someone who has taken full responsibility and has shown remorse for his actions relating to his involvement in a gender-based violence case where a court of law found him guilty."
"We further note his public statement to the effect of actively participating in campaigns and initiatives to fight any form of gender-based violence and these initiatives have our full support."
Manana in his resignation letter said he would donate R1 million to Khuluma Ndoda (a men’s social movement against gender-based violence and R500 000 Ncedulunthu Youth Foundation, an organisation that provides young girls with sanitary packs.
Parliament also since confirmed that Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete had received Manana's resignation letter as well.
Mthembu's words come hours after joint ethics committee co-chair Aumsensingh Singh said the committee had not yet received the official resignation letter following a request to Parliament and the Speaker's office.
He indicated that once the letter was received, the committee would no longer be able to proceed with the inquiry into Manana's conduct.
Manana joined the National Assembly in 2009 and served in the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements at the time of his resignation.
He had previously served on the Portfolio Committee on International Relations & Cooperation, and the Public Works Portfolio Committee when he joined Parliament in 2009.
He was later appointed as Whip of the Portfolio Committee on Transport in 2011 and thereafter deployed to the Executive as Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training – a position he resigned from in 2017.
Mthembu wished Manana well with all his future endeavours.