Jackson Mthembu is the ruling party’s new chief whip in Parliament.
The former African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson replaces Stone Sizani‚ who resigned his seat in Parliament to take up an ambassadorial post in Germany last month.
MP Doris Dlakude has been the party’s acting chief whip since Sizani’s departure.
Sizani drew the ire of opposition parties for what was seen as stonewalling work on the investigations into irregular expenditure on President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla household.
Mthembu‚ himself‚ is no stranger to controversy.
In 2010‚ he made headlines for appearing to do his job… apparently while in police custody after being arrested for drunken driving.
He gave an interview to the now-defunct South African Press Association on a criminal charge and South African Human Rights Commission complaint against then-ANC Youth League president Julius Malema for singing “Shoot the boers”.
At one point‚ it was reported at the time‚ Mthembu burst into song himself.
In October 2014‚ Mthembu was injured in a shooting incident at an ATM in Witbank. Mthembu had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the Emalahleni Private Hospital‚ but made a full recovery.