Buthelezi, Bacede clash over ringing cellphone
LOBAMBA – Matsanjeni North MP Phila Buthelezi and Hosea MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza were back at bickering again.
This time around it was over whose cellphone had rang in the House and disturbed submissions being made by Sandleni MP Noah Gama.
Called to chuck out whoever allowed his cellphone to ring in the chamber, the Chief Whip, who is also Gege MP Musa Kunene, said he was not sure whose phone had rang, but said it was between MP Mabuza and Hhukwini MP Nkanyeti Ngwenya, who were sitting close to each other.
MP Kunene asked that the House allow the MPs to remain in the House because he did not know who the culprit was between the two, but he was confident that another MP’s phone had rang ( Sithobelweni MP Bhekitje Dlamini).
At that point, MP Buthelezi said he was sure that it was Hosea and Sithobelweni MPs’ phones which had rang and, therefore, they should excuse the House.
Challenged
However, MP Mabuza was quick on his feet and challenged MP Buthelezi to show him evidence that it was his phone that had caused the disturbance.
“Show me proof, because my phone is always on silent even now it is ringing, but there is no interference,” said MP Mabuza.
However, MP Buthelezi insisted that it was Mabuza’s phone which had made noise to the extent that he had even hid it under his desk when the noise happened.
“We all know that phones can remain on silent, but if you open a video on social media it makes noise,” said MP Buthelezi. However, at the end only the Sithobela MP was asked to leave the House.
On Monday, Mabuza and Buthelezi clashed when the former insinuated that the latter was now working for Cabinet, to which Buthelezi said he was content with his duties as Deputy Speaker and Public Accounts Committee ( PAC) chairperson.
On a similar note, Princess Lindiwe, who is Minister of Home Affairs, was kicked out of the chamber after her phone rang.