Bringing down the house

22 August 2014 - 02:27 By Thabo Mokone and Jan-Jan Joubert
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Economic Freedom Fighters MPs remain in the National Assembly after the speaker ended proceedings so they could be removed by security. They chanted: 'Give back the money', at President Jacob Zuma
Economic Freedom Fighters MPs remain in the National Assembly after the speaker ended proceedings so they could be removed by security. They chanted: 'Give back the money', at President Jacob Zuma

The ANC caucus wants tough action to be taken against EFF leader Julius Malema and his 24 MPs after they forced the unprecedented suspension of President Jacob Zuma's reply to questions in parliament.

Senior ANC MP Jackson Mthembu said a suspension of just a few days from a sitting of the National Assembly would not be enough for the mayhem the EFF caused.

"It is the first time in a democratic parliament of South Africa that this has happened. The organs of parliament must impose appropriate sanctions that are [proportionate] to the contempt that has been shown by the EFF here today.

"What those sanctions are, we don't know but they should not be just sending people away for a day or two and they come back tomorrow... parliament must deal with the EFF as a party," said Mthembu.

The former ANC national spokesman said if strong action was not taken against the EFF he could not guarantee that ANC MPs would not retaliate the next time their president was provoked.

"If we don't arrest this behaviour by the EFF, I can assure you that some time to come we might see scenes that all of us might regret... I think people [ANC MPs] have been able to hold themselves for two months or so now . they were able to contain themselves under extreme provocation of their president, but I can't guarantee that if this were to happen again that members of the ANC would be able to contain themselves," he said.

Chaos never seen before in the National Assembly erupted when Speaker Baleka Mbete indefinitely postponed Zuma's first question-and-answer session since re-election. Malema demanded that Zuma explain when he was going to repay a portion of the R246-million spent on his Nkandla homestead, as recommended by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

Zuma had earlier responded to Malema's Nkandla question by saying he "was not hoping for a debate on this issue", after stating that he had responded to Madonsela's report on Thursday last week.

But this was not good enough for Malema and EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu who, when threatened with eviction by Mbete, shouted: "We will not leave this chamber until this question is answered."

This led to high drama in the house. EFF MPs chanted "Pay back the money" and Mbete ordered other MPs to vacate the house and called in the police to eject Malema and his caucus.

Mthembu claimed that the ANC had been warned that the EFF planned to disrupt the assembly.

It had tipped off the police but they seemingly acted late. Riot police were on stand-by inside the building, while Security Minister David Mahlobo and his predecessor, Siyabonga Cwele, tried in vain to intervene by talking to Malema and Shivambu.

Later, ANC staff, EFF MPs and police were involved in scuffles as the EFF members walked from the assembly chamber to their offices.

Mbete said she supported calls for tough action against Malema and his party: "There has come to parliament a group with no respect for the people's parliament and its rules and conventions . reckless people with no dignity . we'll look at issues of censure."

But at a press conference last night, Malema remained unrepentant.

He said it would not be business as usual for Zuma as long as he continued to evade questions.

"The president uses parliament to hide. Delaying tactics is his middle name. He hopes that South Africa will forget. We will not allow this to happen," he said.

Malema claimed that Mahlobo and Cwele had assured him that there would be a meeting between him, other opposition leaders and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as leader of government business in parliament, to discuss the matter.

But Mthembu and Mbete said they were not aware of this.

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