EFF says members muzzled during Gauteng State of the Province Address
Where are the microphones? There is no freedom of speech here? These were point of orders raised by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature‚ which is sitting in the Saul Tsotetsi sports complex in Sebokeng for the State of the Province Address (Sopa).Just as Premier David Makhura took to the podium‚ EFF MPL Mandisa Mashego challenged speaker Ntombi Mekgwe for not allowing her statement to be read during the sitting.EFF member Ntobeng Ntobeng then complained about the fact that there were no microphones allocated to each member of the legislature as it is the norm."Was it done deliberately? Normally‚ we have microphones‚ but today it is not the case. This is against our freedom of speech‚" Ntobeng challenged the speaker.While that led to a two-minute pause in proceedings‚ Mekgwe explained that this was a special sitting of the legislature and that the use of a roaming mike was not a normal procedure in the house.As instructed by the speaker‚ Makhura began his speech despite efforts by the EFF with raised hands to disrupt the commencement of the Sopa. – TMG Digital/ TMG Local Government..
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