EFF’s game is up: it’s time to call unruly members to order over unethical conduct
THE chaos in Parliament on Thursday, saw a nation stunned by the EFF’s thuggish antics.
The EFF’s disgraceful, antidemocratic behaviour and intimidatory conduct, in attempting to prevent Minister Pravin Gordhan from delivering on his constitutionally mandated responsibility, has again shown contempt for the institution of Parliament, and disregard for ethical conduct in its own practices.
The EFF violates the rules of Parliament repeatedly and its members resort to criminal conduct towards their parliamentary colleagues.
The chess game that is occupying the national discourse is being played out. This is not about Gordhan, even though he has widely come to be seen as epitomising the fight against state capture and the corrupt looters; this has far more serious ramifications.
This is an assault on our democratic institutions, our democracy and the value systems built into our Constitution. It must leave the EFF’s alliance partner, the DA, squirming in discomfort to be associated with the antics in the full glare of the nation and the international community.
The EFF is trying to deflect attention from some of its leaders’ alleged involvement in corrupt activities, some of it going back decades.
The EFF’s recent support of the public protector appears to be nothing but opportunism, to ensure its own conduct is not investigated.
The party’s hypocrisy is further exposed as it poses as defenders of the poor on whose behalf it purports to demand economic redress while its members live the high life.
The party does not seem to have anything of substance to offer voters and therefore resorts to thuggery to remain in the headlines.
EFF members contribute nothing as legislators, nor do they promote democracy. Scarce public resources are seemingly wasted on paying their salaries. Has its leader Julius Malema seriously miscalculated? It would appear so.
The purveyor of racial venom is facing a huge backlash against his anarchist strategies.
Civil society and citizens from across the political spectrum have been galvanised into action, and various interventions will play out this week (and in the weeks to come).
There will be more pressure on the National Prosecuting Authority to progress its investigations into Julius Malema, Floyd Shivambu and others implicated in the VBS scandal and others.
The ANC appears to be delayed and muted in its response. Why is it conflicted? Surely it out to have sprung to Gordhan’s defence at the time with more alacrity? Surely we would have expected a more immediate response from the president himself ?
In the week of the commemoration of the birth of our greatest icon, Nelson Mandela, whose attributes and values need to be reinforced, Cyril Ramaphosa and his party are found seriously wanting.
Gordhan has been lauded for standing his ground unflinchingly and for pronouncing that the fascist-type intimidatory behaviour would not prevail.
He was being egged on by throngs of reasonable South Africans from all walks of life and across the political divide, who want to see our democracy thrive.
Parliament’s code of conduct outlines the minimum ethical standards of behaviour that South Africans expect of public representatives, including upholding propriety, integrity and ethical values in their conduct as well as in protecting Parliament’s integrity.
Members have a duty to promote and support ethical conduct through their leadership and by setting an example themselves and to be committed to the eradication of all forms of discrimination.
Members who fail to abide by the code face possible penalties such as a fine of up to 30 days of their salary or a suspension of certain privileges.
In order to preserve Parliament’s integrity, the Active Citizens Movement, Merebank Justice Network and various other civil society formations are calling on the Speaker of Parliament to take immediate and decisive action by laying criminal charges against offending MPs; subjecting the offending MPs to the disciplinary processes of Parliament; ordering the appropriate suspension of salaries and benefits; applying appropriate sanctions against the offenders, which must include suspension from Parliament for an appropriate period, substantial monetary fines, and unconditional apologies to Gordhan and the South African public.
This is important because this inappropriate conduct raises the question: What is it that the EFF does not want us to hear? Is it its own complicity in corruption, and its dogged defence of a long line of compromised public officials and business associates heavily implicated in state capture and grand-scale corruption?
It is important also because society and institutions such as Parliament make a clear statement that we will not allow EFF members to act like schoolyard bullies and reduce our democratic institutions to waste.
The chess game is in play – we must not let the miscreants topple the board.