Grey area around ‘white shirts’ in parliament brawl

Speculation brews over the identity of the “security personnel” in white shirts embroiled in the parliamentary brawl on Thursday night during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address.

EFF MPs were ejected from the House – and even police unions were unsure whether or not they were police officers.

South African Police Union president Mpho Kwinika said they were waiting to consult acting police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane. “This is a highly guarded issue, but I don’t think the commissioner would risk it. It’s possible that police might have trained them, but it would be a terrible gamble if those were actually members of Saps.”

Richard Mamabolo, police union Popcru’s spokesperson, said the union also could not be certain. “The parliament speaker said she would look into whether those were members of Saps. At the moment, we cannot confirm or deny anything. “

After EFF MPs, some of whom reportedly sustained injuries, left parliament, leader Julius Malema said although he believed the men and women in white shirts were police officers, he would not be taking legal action.

“Those people in white shirts, they are not parliamentary security, they are policemen... there is no separation of power here.”

Ralph Mathekga, research director at the Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection, said despite the violence and mayhem, it was not clear whether any rules or laws were actually broken during the Sona proceedings. “There is no rule that precludes the president from deploying the army and police outside of parliament, so no rule was violated. If there were, in fact, members of Saps inside parliament, that is another story. “

Mathekga said MPs, Speaker Baleka Mbete and National Council of Provinces head Thandi Modise appeared to be abusing the rules of parliament, rather than breaking them.

“When the presiding officers became arbitrary in dealing with the members it started to look as if they themselves had an agenda. When you become arbitrary, you start abusing the rules.”

But, the analyst said, what happened on Thursday night could not just be reduced to the rules. It had more to do with a general spirit of unwillingness to work with each other.

Weighing in on the matter of the white-shirt clad operatives, Mathekga said their presence and that of the extra security detail in the chambers contributed to the escalation of violence.