Rebel ANC lawmaker turns down police protection after death threats
Thursday July 27 2017
Outspoken South Africa’s ruling ANC party legislator, Makhosi Khoza, who is facing ill-discipline charges for speaking against President Jacob Zuma, has turned down police protection after saying she has been receiving death threats.
The African National Congress MP has often spoken against the president’s leadership and recently backed calls by the Opposition for a secret ballot against him.
Lawmakers vote in the no-confidence motion on August 8.
“I started receiving death threats three months ago and I filed police reports. I begged Parliament for protection for myself and my family. This was denied to me.
“It was only when the matter was recently thrust into the public domain by media reports‚ that the services were suddenly offered,” she said.
Parliament and the South African Police Services have said they would provide security for her.
On Wednesday, ANC KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Khoza’s home province, brought disciplinary charges against her, saying she had crossed the line.
She has complained of being persecuted because she no longer tows the party line.
“My ANC suffocates reason‚ morality and ethical behaviour. My statements in the recent past simply mirror what millions of South Africans have been saying‚ they have had enough.
“To side with the ANC of today requires me to disregard my moral fibre. I am no longer willing to be an apologist for an organisation and a leader that has lost its way‚” she said in a statement after the charges were announced.
She said she could not agree to security offered by her “executioners” because the “issues are all interrelated”.
“I cannot accept protection from the same people that have been so reckless in their behaviour and who themselves have placed me in heightened danger," she said.
She said she was concerned that the Police Minister Fikile Mbalula had taken to public platforms to aggressively criticise her and level completely false and defamatory accusations at her.
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