'Shut up or JZ will continue to stay away,' Ramaphosa tells MPs

Tensions flared in parliament yesterday as Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa claimed disrespectful behaviour by opposition parties had kept President Jacob Zuma from appearing in the National Assembly.

Zuma has not appeared in the house since August 21, when the Economic Freedom Fighters chanted "pay back the money".

The president is expected to appear before the house four times a year.

DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane asked when Zuma would answer questions on his Nkandla homestead, Eskom's load-shedding and the nuclear deal with Russia.

Ramaphosa said that on August 21 Zuma "was only able to answer three of the six questions that were asked, largely because of the incident that occurred here".

This response prompted uproar from the opposition.

Ramaphosa said that, while the relationship between the executive and parliament "was not functioning well at the moment", this was due to the "howling and screaming and shouting".

He said: "As long as such behaviour of the opposition persists, we won't have a good relationship. I call on all opposition parties to be respectful to the president," he said.

COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota said: "An impression must not be created that we can only expect to be addressed if we behave in a way they dictate."

EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu addressed Ramaphosa as "Cyril" and complained the deputy president was "casting aspersions".

Maimane, unhappy not to get an answer to his question, asked Ramaphosa to relay a message to Zuma: "Khumbul'ekhaya" ("remember home" in Zulu).