MPs in punch-up
Fists, water bottles and swear words fly in the face of President Zuma
PARLIAMENT erupted in chaos last night as opposition MPs traded blows with parliament security personnel.
There was fighting and swearing as security personnel and parliamentarians battled to remove opposition party members preventing President Jacob Zuma from delivering his 10th State of the Nation Address (Sona) since taking office.
The chaos saw the DA stage a walkout from the chamber amid audible swearing and insults from ANC benches. This was after the EFF had been forcibly removed.
It was opposition MPs and not Zuma who kicked proceedings off at the official opening of parliament‚ raising various points of order.
Zuma was due to deliver his Sona at 7pm but was only able to begin about 20 minutes after 8pm after the delays from members of the EFF and DA‚ who raised security concerns and other requests.
EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu was first to raise a point of order‚ claiming that 21 members of the South African Police Service were on standby in the house to arrest the party’s members‚ using cable ties and “biological weapons”.
When parliamentary speaker Baleka Mbete responded‚ saying that she could not act on rumours‚ party leader Julius Malema entered the fray.
“Please reassure us that we are safe in this parliament‚” he said.
Malema said that Mbete had a duty to uphold the constitution, and that a cable tie in his possession had been taken by the EFF from a security staff member at parliament‚ who was also issued with “biological weapons” – referring to alleged injections which Shivambu had mentioned.
DA chief whip John Steenhuisen was also quick to raise a point of order‚ requesting a moment of silence for 94 mentally disabled patients who died in Gauteng when moved from Life Esidimeni.
Mbete said the request would be entertained next week at the Sona debate.
However, DA MPs stood in honour of the deceased despite Mbete refusing them permission to do so.
As Zuma began delivering his speech‚ he was interrupted by the EFF’s Godrich Gardee, who said the president was not fit to address the house because “the failure by the NA [National Assembly] to hold the President accountable” over Nkandla was inconsistent with the constitution.
“The president is in breach of his oath of office … He cannot address honourable members including the presiding officers.
“Parliament is in contempt of the Constitutional Court.”
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu pointed out that parliament had voted on the issue and had not removed Zuma from office.
COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota said the following referring to Zuma: “In English‚ he is called a scoundrel. In our language‚ he’s called a mennemenne. We have not broken our oath of office. Now you want to make us complicit even though we did not break our oath of office.”
The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was then ordered out of the chamber for calling Zuma a “constitutional delinquent”.
Ndlozi said there were people in the house he did not recognise.
“This is my house. They must leave. Do you know them? You look shocked even. Who are they? They must leave. That is the first point of order‚” he told Mbete.
He then addressed her on Zuma: “If you want to listen to a person who has broken the constitution‚ go and do it elsewhere.”
Speaking to the President he said: “Mr Zuma‚ please leave‚ baba.”
Willie Madisha of the COPE was then removed from the house by parliamentary security services.
Chair of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise said a joint sitting could not dismiss the president – it was the prerogative of the National Assembly.
Security staff then entered the house to physically remove EFF members, and a punch-up ensued during which water bottles were hurled and fights broke out.
When the EFF had been removed, the DA said the joint speakers had “broken parliament” over a president who had “broken South Africa”.
There were loud swear words and insults thrown at the departing DA. — TMG