Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma became the first member of the ANC to defy the party by voting in favour of the Section 89 report into Phala Phala."As a disciplined member of the ANC, I vote yes," she said.Dlamini Zuma was followed by other ANC MP's Mervyn Dirks, Mosebenzi Zwane and former North West Premier and a staunch former President Jacob Zuma ally Supra Mahumapelo.

FACE THE CONSEQUENCES

President hopeful and former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and Lindiwe Sisulu were absentees during the voting process.The action of Dlamini-Zuma, Mahumapelo, Dirks and Zwane may result in them being stripped of their ANC membership cards and being expelled from the party as National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe had warned that MPs who would defy an instruction from the organisation and vote with opposition parties may face being kicked out of the organisation.

THROWN OUT

A 148 members of parliament voted in favour of the 89 Phala Phala Panel Report and 214 voted against it.Two MPs abstained from the voting. National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula ruled that the Section 89 process would not proceed.The ANC occupies 230 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly. ANC MP Thandi Mahambehlala was among those who voted in favour of the report.Mahambehlala voted yes in favour of the adoption of the Phala Phala report before she backtracked at the of the session  and said that her vote had been captured incorrectly.Mapisa-Nqakula declined the request for a vote change. This development is interesting in light of the ANC Elective Conference set to take place at the end of this week.

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