THE ANC has vowed to discipline MPs who use the two weeks allocated by Parliament for constituency work - to run their own errands.

THE ANC has vowed to discipline MPs who use the two weeks allocated by Parliament for constituency work - to run their own errands.

ANC spokesperson Moloto Mothapo told Sowetan the party had various ways of disciplining MPs who don't use the allocated period and resources properly.

"Each and every MP is supposed to develop a programme or an action plan that is approved by the chief whip [Nyami Booi]", Mothapo said.

"We expect them to use parliamentary constituency offices not just to wait for people to come to them and report problems, but to conduct parliamentary work, including going door to door and intervening where services are not being provided to the people.

"We expect them to approach local municipalities and councillors and ask what is being done to resolve the problems.

"We don't want to hear about problems at a local level five years later when we conduct door-to-door campaigns ahead of elections."

MPs do their constituency work from today until July 31.

Mothapo said: "ANC MPs will be required to submit reports of their work to the office of the chief whip at the end of the constituency period."

ANC MPs have been charged with leading various "67-minute initiatives" within their communities in recognition of former president Nelson Mandela's 67 years of active involvement in politics - which began in 1942.

Mothapo said: "The office of the chief whip and the Department of Arts and Culture have developed a programme of activities . leading up to 18 July.

"These activities, which will be announced early this week, will afford South Africans ample opportunity to perform 67 minutes of community service to help those who are poor, elderly, sick and in need of assistance."