MBOMBELA – It’s not only members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) who disrupted legislature this week. On own soil, two members of the provincial legislature (MPLs) were kicked out on Tuesday afternoon. The sitting was to discuss the State of the Province Address (Sopa) delivered by the premier Mr David Mabuza last Friday.
Legislature speaker, Ms Thandi Shongwe was forced to ask first Mr Anthony Benadie, DA provincial leader, and later Mr Bosman Grobler, newly sworn in DA MPL to wait outside after they interrupted ANC speakers. Benadie interrupted Mr Gillion Mashego, MEC for health, during his response.
Shongwe threateded to send him out and when he continued to grumble he was asked to wait outside for the remainder of Mashego’s time on the floor.
Grobler did the same during the speech by Mr Andries Gamede, MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs. He had to spend 10 minutes outside the house.
National and provincial legislatures have strict rules regarding behaviour. For instance, no MPL may interrupt another member while they are speaking, except to call attention to a point of order or a question of privilege.
As a point of order, Ms Ayanda Shabalala, EFF MPL, was forced to retract a statement requesting the speaker to have the “rent-a-crowd” to stop applauding. She was forced to retract the term she used to refer to the guests invited by the legislature.
Benadie was allowed not to retract his statement that the premier’s Sopa was a “lavish announcement” since it was misheard as a “rubbish announcement”. Shongwe recommended that the new MPLs – opposition parties boast five new members in its six total seats – continue to learn the rules of the august house.
National media reported that police officials were summoned to Gauteng’s legislature to remove EFF members who refused to leave. The speaker requested them to leave because they were not dressed properly.
