The African National Congress (ANC) has announced that 31 of its senior leaders, who have served the party for decades, are not returning to Parliament and will be retiring from politics.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsisi said the identities of the 31 parliamentarians will be known after the party makes its list available to the public.
Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced during the opening of parliament that she will retire after the elections.
Minister in the Presidency for Women and Children, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma,said she was not going back to parliament after serving in government since President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet.
Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan was the latest senior leader of the ANC to make the announcement on Friday.
The Department of Public Enterprises confirmed that Gordhan was retiring from active politics.
“This announcement that the minister intends to retire from active politics following the upcoming elections is emblematic of the minister’s desire to be candid so that all critical constituencies that relate to his current portfolio are sufficiently informed of his plans.
“Secondly, the announcement to set in motion processes to ensure a smooth transition for the minister and the department as it is often the case at the end of every administration,” said the department.
The ANC said while the party’s Electoral Committee, chaired by Kgalema Motlanthe, had completed its processes of selecting candidates for parliament and provincial legislatures, 31 candidates had declined nominations to return to Parliament.
Bhengu-Motsiri said these were very senior leaders of the ANC who have served the party for decades.
“Thirty one comrades declined nomination, amongst those are comrades who have served the movement admirably for decades and to whom we owe a sincere debt of gratitude for their contribution to shaping the first 30 years of South African democracy,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
She said when the Electoral Committee makes available the list it would be known which of the 31 senior leaders have decided to retire.
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