stwita
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 14, 2011
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A volatile sitting of the National Assembly ended abruptly and in tears, with fists flying as public order police dragged a female Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Ngwanamakwetle Mashabela out of the chamber on Thursday night, after she had labelled President Jacob Zuma a thief and a criminal during a debate.
Four opposition MPs were injured in the scuffle, but it is the integrity and image of Parliament that seems permanently dented in the eyes of ordinary South Africans.
The presence of police in the chamber, while the House is in session, is a violation of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, which prohibits the police from being in Parliament unless they have been instructed by the speaker, her deputy or any other of the presiding officers.
Section 58 of Constitution prohibits arrests, criminal or civil procedure on MPs for what they say in Parliament. It is not clear who called the police.
Mashabela was delivering her speech in a debate about the Treaty on the Grand Inga Hydropower project. In it, she repeatedly referred to Zuma as a thief.
"President Zuma is a thief. He is a criminal. He is the greatest thief in the world," said Mashabela. ANC MP and house chairperson, Cedric Frolick, who was presiding over the session ordered Mashabela to withdraw her comments about Zuma after her refusal to withdraw, he ordered her to leave the House.
In her speech, Mashabela said the EFF was concerned that politicians would use the multibillion project as a vehicle for corruption. "Corruption normally hides under the disguise of such massive projects for the enrichment of politicians and their families," she said.
She mentioned media reports about Zuma's role in getting Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to award business to Zuma's nephew Khulubuse.
She said this was worrying and asked: "How much will he [Zuma] benefit as he did in the arms deal from this treaty?" The EFF was tired of funding "Zuma the thief, the criminal who refuses to pay a cent [in Nkandla]".
ANC MP Mandla Mandela, rising on a point of order, objected to Zuma being labeled a thief and asked Frolick to instruct Mashabela to withdraw that comment.
"The president of the ANC is the greatest thief in the world, I am not going to withdraw. He is a criminal. Everybody in South Africa knows that Zuma is a thief," she insisted.
When instructed to leave the podium and the House, she refused.
The sergeant-at-arms, Regina Muhlomi was called to remove Mashabela, but when she failed a group of parliamentary security personnel could be seen approaching Mashabela who repeatedly told them "not to touch me".
Footage removed
At this point, Parliament cut off its visual feed, and just before the audio was cut off as well, Frolick was heard instructing the DA chief whip John Steenhuisen to tell DA MPs to delete pictures and video footage that they were taking of the incident. After Mashabela was successfully dragged out, MPs returned to their seats.
If a leader of the ANC had tweeted these tweets would be in all the news.
Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane proposed that the House suspend its session until a later date in light of the events of the evening. "I think all of us in this place, at least if you believe in the constitution of this country, you know that the police cannot enter this chamber…" He appealed for calm.
ANC chief whip Stone Sizani said the whips had agreed that there was no possibility that they could rationally talk to each other or listen to each other, he said he was backing the call to postpone the proceedings until further notice. The treaty was approved just before the House was adjourned.
Violation of Constitution
"What happened is we saw the ANC violate the Constitution to protect one individual: Jacob Zuma from public robust scrutiny," said EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi. "If they think he is no thief, they must argue it and not use force to have MPs silenced. We shall never be silenced, not by kangaroo courts or even by police. Zuma is a thief," he said.
DA spokesperson Phumzile van Damme said four of their MPs were "hurt" in the scuffle while trying to intervene.
Mbete ruling
From the first minute, Thursdays sitting was extraordinary as Mbete announced a unilateral decision to change the programme of the day, which she deemed too long despite a programme committee having agreed earlier on same day on the programme.
After a series of objections from opposition MPs, who remained on their feet, howling to drown out those of the ANC, while insisting that Mbete reverse her ruling; she finally gave in when Sizani sided with the opposition.
In another extraordinary and a clear filibustering tactic, opposition parties, mainly the DA and EFF, tabled a record number of motions – 166 notices of motions and 41 motions without notice. This took over three-and-half hours.
Generally motions would take up less than 20 minutes, but there is no time limit stated in the rules.
The House then moved to the much-anticipated debate on the multimillion security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma's private home.
As expected, it was a heated debate, with all but two opposition parties and the ANC supporting a report produced by a parliamentary committee, which absolved Zuma of any wrongdoing.
While the House was in session, Minister and ANC MP Lindiwe Zulu was involved in a brawl with a Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) MP in the corridor outside.
http://mg.co.za/article/2014-11-14-parliament-in-a-brawl-as-police-remove-eff-mp
