MK Party downplays Makhubele blunder during Appropriation Bill’s voting

JOHANNESBURG - The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has downplayed a blunder by its chief whip during the voting of the Appropriation Bill, which saw the official opposition giving the budget a thumbs up.

Colleen Makhubele’s confusion – after a day spent rejecting the respective budgets presented for the various government departments – mistakenly supported the Government of National Unity (GNU) Appropriation Bill in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

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The marathon sitting brought to an end 2025’s sticky budget process.

Makhubele was seemingly tripped up by processes in the House and accidently cast a vote on behalf of the MK Party in favour of the Appropriation Bill.

The official opposition was allowed to change its vote at a later stage – a move other parties said sets a bad precedent because it was allowed after the voting window had closed.

Speaking to journalists after the session, the MK Party’s Des van Rooyen dismissed the faux pas.

“From vote 1 to vote 42, the MK has been very clear – we have objected all these votes. I think there was a confusion from the table when the House chairperson announced order 5 and he was corrected by his table but by then, our chief whip had already channelled order 5. That was the confusion. But it’s just logic, simple sense. You can’t vote no for all budgets 1 to 42 and then at the final stage you vote yes - it doesn’t make sense.”