The ANC has appointed several new chairpersons of portfolio committees in Parliament following the promotion of some MPs to the national executive and the deaths of some.

The changes were announced by ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu in a statement on Wednesday.

The reshuffling of portfolio committee chairpersons will see former transport minister Joe Maswanganyi being responsible for leading the oversight committee on public service and administration‚ which was previously under the stewardship of former Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale who has since been appointed the deputy minister of small business development.

Another notable redeployment is that of ANC MP Hlomane Chauke from the North West‚ who is the new chairperson of the home affairs portfolio committee‚ a position he had occupied several years ago under the administration of former president Thabo Mbeki.

Chauke takes over from Lemias Mashile who has been reassigned as chair of the labour portfolio committee.

All eyes will be on Chauke to see how he tackles the home affairs committee's probe into the naturalisation of the controversial Gupta family‚ following concern within Parliament’s corridors that the committee has thus far dilly-dallied on this matter.

Mashile replaces Fezeka Loliwe while Sharon Makhubele-Mashele is taking over the reins of the tourism portfolio committee. Mashile and Makhubele-Mashele respectively replaced Loliwe and Beatrice Ngcobo who both died earlier this year.

Here's Mthembu's full statement:

For immediate release 30 May 2018 APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRPERSONS AND WHIPS

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip announces new deployments to parliamentary committees to fill existing vacancies and strengthen their oversight capacity.

The vacancies within several committees in the National Assembly were created primarily by the redeployment of the previous incumbents to new responsibilities within and outside Parliament.

The ANC Caucus also tragically lost two of its members who passed on earlier this year.

The new appointments are as follows:

1. Comrade Lusizo Sharon Makhubele-Mashele becomes the new chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism‚ the position was previously held by comrade Beatrice Ngcobo who sadly passed away earlier this year.

2. Comrade Lemias Mashile becomes the new chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Labour. The position was previously held by comrade Fezeka Loliwe who also sadly passed on earlier this year.

3. Comrade Hlomane Patrick Chauke becomes the new chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs. The position was previously held by comrade Lemias Mashile.

4. Comrade Joe Maswanganyi becomes the new chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Public Service and Administration. The position was previously held by comrade Cassel Mathale‚ who is now serving as the Deputy Minister of Small Business Development.

The ANC has also deployed the following comrades as Whips of ANC Study Groups:

1. Comrade Madipoane Mothapo is the new whip for the ANC Study Group on Justice and Correctional Services. The position was previously held by Dr Charlotte Pilane-Majake who is now serving as the Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration.

2. Comrade Derick Mnguni is the new whip for the ANC Study Group on Water and Sanitation. The position was previously held by comrade Hlomane Patrick Chauke who was redeployed as Chairperson of Home Affairs.

3. Comrade Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen is the new whip for the ANC Study Group on Public Service and Administration. The position was previously held by comrade Regina Lesoma who has been redeployed as the whip of International Relations.

4. Comrade Sharome van Schalkwyk is the new whip for the ANC Study Group on Labour. The position was previously held by the late comrade Fezeka Loliwe who was the whip before she become chairperson.

5. Comrade Patricia Adams is the new whip for the ANC Study Group on Tourism. The position was previously held by comrade Lusizo Sharome Makhubele-Mashele who was redeployed as Chairperson of Tourism.

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip congratulates the new appointees and wish them well in their new roles of responsibility. We once again thank the comrades who previously held these positions for the diligence with which they served the ANC and the people of South Africa.

Issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip‚ Hon. Jackson Mthembu. Enquiries: Nonceba Mhlauli Spokesperson