African National Congress (ANC) chief whip Pemmy Majodina has taken a swipe at the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for the behaviour of its parliamentarians during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) last week.
2023 Sona debate
This follows the chaos that erupted in Parliament last Thursday, when EFF MPs were forcibly removed, by heavily armed police and parliamentary protection services officers after storming onto the stage, from where Ramaphosa was delivering his speech.
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa’s Sona delayed as EFF removed by force, ATM’s Zungula ordered out of House
Majodina, without mentioning the EFF parliamentarians directly, said the behaviour of the red berets was an embarrassment to the nation.
She said Parliament was expected to promote the rule of law as the national legislature, and what the EFF did should be condemned.
“[The] scenes seen here last Thursday by some parliamentarians heading to confront the president of the Republic of South Africa must be condemned and the Joint Rules [Committee] must take its course.
“These few parliamentarians are an embarrassment to the country and the nation because we are not a violent nation as South Africans. We know how to process our issues,” said Majodina.
Majodina made the remarks on Tuesday during the Sona debate at the Cape Town City Hall.
No confidence motion
Earlier, EFF leader Julius Malema said his party had submitted a motion of no confidence in National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
“The misconduct of the Speaker on 9 February 2023, has disqualified her as a legitimate Speaker of Parliament. The Speaker referred to members of this house as animals and violated the Constitution and the Rules of the National Assembly when she allowed armed police to invade Parliament.
“As a result, we have already submitted a motion of no confidence against Mrs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula,” said Malema.
RELATED: ‘Five disastrous years’: Ramaphosa’s ‘new dawn’ turned into false dawn – Steenhuisen
Malema said the red berets had also withdrawn their demand for Mapisa-Nqakula to apologise within 48 hours for ejecting EFF MPs from the Sona, or they would take the matter to the Constitutional Court.
“We also apologise for having shown her respect when she evidently does not respect Parliament,” he said.
Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mathopo last week said Mapisa-Nqakula had referred the EFF’s disruptions during the Sona to its Joint Rules Committee.
NOW READ: EFF submits no-confidence motion in National Assembly Speaker Mapisa-Nqakula
