Economic Freedom Fighters MPs lived to fight another day when Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete did not suspend them yesterday, as she had threatened after their disruption of parliament on August 21.
Instead, parliament's powers and privileges committee will deal with the events of that day, when EFF MPs shouted at President Jacob Zuma to "pay back the money!"
Mbete instructed them to leave the chamber but they refused. She suspended proceedings and the house was adjourned.
Last week, she asked them to give her reasons why she should not suspend them. Yesterday was the day she set to announce her action.
But the EFF resisted and said it would interdict her if she went ahead. Yesterday, Mbete said the EFF's behaviour was unprecedented, and that it deprived MPs of their oversight duty of asking questions to the president.
Mbete yesterday reiterated that she did not call the public order policing unit to intervene in the parliamentary precinct.
Police Minister Nathi Nhleko has since admitted that it was he who had called in the police, without consulting Mbete.
EFF national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has accused Mbete of cowardice.
"Despite legislative prohibitions, the speaker continues to threaten our members in parliament [to] try to recover [from] the public humiliation she suffered from withdrawing her illegal threats of suspension against EFF MPs," Ndlozi said.
He said Mbete was failing to demonstrate independence and parliamentary autonomy from other arms of the state in her capacity as chairman.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
