News24 | Gigaba reinstated as defence committee co-chair after chaotic replacement bid

Malusi Gigaba remains co-chairperson of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence despite an ANC-backed attempt to replace him in a chaotic meeting.

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• Malusi Gigaba remains co-chairperson of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence despite an ANC-backed attempt to replace him in a chaotic meeting.
• Speaker Thoko Didiza says there was no formal communication of Gigaba’s removal or resignation, meaning the purported election of his replacement was procedurally incorrect.
• The EFF had challenged the meeting as “unprocedural”, while Gigaba’s ANC colleagues had insisted he had been “relieved of his duties”.
• For more political news, visit News24 Politics.

The ANC’s attempt to replace Malusi Gigaba as co-chairperson of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence has hit a procedural wall, with National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza ruling that his purported removal was not procedurally correct.

Didiza made the finding in a letter to the EFF on Thursday, confirming that her office had received no formal communication from the ANC about Gigaba’s removal and no resignation from Gigaba himself.

She said the election of a replacement would have to follow the receipt of such formal communication and that, pending that process, the status quo before the 2 September meeting remained. This means Gigaba remains the committee’s co-chairperson despite the ANC having pushed through the appointment of Mzimasi Mike Hala as his replacement.

The attempted replacement took place during a chaotic committee meeting earlier this week, raising objections from the EFF and DA, who questioned how Gigaba could be removed without prior formal notification.

The EFF has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms. Thoko Didiza, demanding that she declare the so-called election of a National Assembly Co-Chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence unprocedural and illegal, and censure the Joint Chairperson and ANC… pic.twitter.com/MOCkSpN4Al

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 3, 2026

ANC MP and co-chairperson of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, Phiroane Phala, however, claimed that Gigaba had been “relieved of his duties”.

READ | Parliament’s defence committee holds chaotic meeting after Gigaba unexpectedly axed

Gigaba’s ANC colleagues rallied around Phala and attempted to shut down questions from the EFF and DA about the process.

Ultimately, the ANC backbenches pushed through Hala’s appointment as the new co-chairperson.

The DA said it would take the matter up with Didiza.

On Thursday, the EFF wrote to Didiza.

In the letter, the party’s chief whip, Nontando Nolutshungu, told Didiza that its position was that the meeting had been convened in an “unprocedural and in violation of the established procedure and the Joint Rules of Parliament”.

Nolutshungu pointed out that there was no formal letter of withdrawal by the ANC of Gigaba as co-chair, no resignation from Gigaba, and that the vacancy was not tabled.

In her response to the EFF on Thursday, Didiza confirmed that her office had not received formal communication from the ANC about Gigaba’s status, nor a resignation letter from Gigaba himself.

“Whilst the Joint Rules do not explicitly require the publication in the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) of the change in membership status of a co-chairperson of the Joint Committee, the appointment of members is required to be published,” explained Didiza in her response.

“Furthermore, the election of a new co-chairperson is published in the ATC to ensure transparency. I agree that pending a review of the Joint Rules, publication in the ATC is consistent with the constitutional principle of openness,” she said.

She added:

Therefore, I agree that the purported change in the membership status of Dr Gigaba without any formal communication is not procedurally correct.

Gigaba, a former ANC Youth League leader and government minister under presidents Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa, is currently facing charges of fraud and corruption before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

He was added to the accused in a criminal case stemming from one of the biggest state capture scandals. He joined former Transnet executives Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh, Siyabonga Gama and Thamsanqa Jiyane in the dock.

They were each charged with fraud and corruption related to the tender for the “1 064 locomotives” that cost the government more than R54 billion.

Since then, Gigaba has stepped aside from ANC roles. But, as News24 reported, the ANC Veterans League also called for Gigaba to resign from Parliament, not just from roles within the ANC.