Parliament - A frustrated chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on communications, Joyce Moloi-Moropa, has finally quit Parliament after a protracted row with Communications Minister Faith Muthambi over the SABC.
Moloi-Moropa has had a frosty relationship with Muthambi over the last two years.
She has clashed with Muthambi numerous times in Parliament.
ANC chief whip Stone Sizani’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said: ”Comrade Moloi-Moropa requested the ANC leadership to release her from Parliament to focus on her enormous responsibilities as SACP treasurer-general on a full-time basis, as she felt her split focus on both party and parliamentary roles did neither of them justice.”
Moloi-Moropa could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
She has had running battles with Muthambi in her time as chairperson of the portfolio committee.
It was reported late last year that she wrote to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and asked that she be allowed to quit her job in Parliament.
The last straw for Moloi-Moropa was when the portfolio committee was forced to backtrack on a legal opinion over the powers of the minister to remove SABC board members. ANC members in the committee had earlier backed Parliament’s legal opinion on this, but had later backtracked.
Moloi-Moropa had been chairperson of the portfolio committee on public service and administration before she was deployed to head the communications committee in 2014.
Muthambi’s spokesperson, Mish Molakeng, had not responded by deadline last night.
The SABC has been caught in conflicts in Parliament for some time. The public broadcaster has had its own internal battles, with the infighting splitting the board down the middle. It has been operating without a full board for more than a year.
Six members of the board have either been removed or resigned. Early last year Hope Zinde, Rachel Kalidass and Ronnie Lubisi were axed in what the three members referred to as a purge.
Thembinkosi Bonakele, Bongani Khumalo and Ellen Zandile Tshabalala resigned from the board. Tshabalala was forced to resign after she was caught in a fake qualification scandal.
Political Bureau