Mbete calls white-shirted parliamentary protection services as EFF MPs attempt to disrupt proceedings
FINANCE Minister Malusi Gigaba was delayed from starting his maiden budget speech by disruptions from the EFF.
The budget speech traditionally starts at 2pm, but started 20 minutes late.
Speaker Baleka Mbete called on the white-shirted parliamentary protection services to remove members of the party but they eventually left of their own accord.
Before Gigaba could start his medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS) speech, the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi objected to him giving the statement saying that Gigaba was an “extension of state capture”.
Speaker of the house Baleka Mbete ordered Ndlozi to leave the house, after which EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu joined in the fray calling Gigaba a “criminal”.
Ndlozi said “Gigaba is a Gupta stooge”.
“We will leave you to continue with your corruption,” Shivambu said as the party walked out.
It was the second delay of the day for Gigaba as he delivered his maiden MTBPS.
A few hours earlier, with journalists ready to engage at a press briefing scheduled for 9.30am, his spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete announced there would be a holdup as he had been called to brief a cabinet meeting on his speech.
The briefing started just after 12pm.
“We were summoned there to come and brief on what we are presenting today.
“There were only about six comments that came out at the cabinet briefing, and they were all positive,” he said. — DDC only