Let’s restore parliamentary decorum

A RECURRING comedy of shenanigans besetting the Sona not only leaves much to be desired, but perpetuates hooliganism and is setting a bad precedent in society.

No one can deny the naked abrogation of responsibilities by public representatives elected to dispense their fiduciary duties with honour. It’s ideologically callow of them to use anarchy as a means to register points of difference.

We live in a majoritarian democracy, which requires opposition parties to do thorough constituency work on the ground in order to possibly remove the ruling majority from power. There are no short cuts, even with the best intentions.

The constitution guarantees everyone the right to vote into power those who have the moral authority to rule. Gimmicks, vulgarity and anarchism by fanatical opponents of a working democracy should never be allowed to sully the decorum of Parliament.

All parties have a duty to respect their constituencies, especially the vast majority of the electorate who entrusted them with the power to exercise authority.

The ill-bred members who think they have the right to cause disorder and damage in the corridors of Parliament are by no means exempt from this duty. The powers that be should take steps to ensure that these miscreants face the full might of the law.

We cannot be held to ransom by belligerent non-entities masquerading as fighters of a working class struggle. The myth of their so-called revolutionary character must be exposed for what it is.

Above all, the electorate should vote them out and strike out the anarchy which has come to define Parliament. Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni