MBOMBELA – The behaviour of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Mpumalanga Legislature is being investigated after they were almost kicked out of a question-and-answer session on Tuesday.
The same day the party staged a walk-out in Parliament, when the National Assembly adopted the ad hoc committee’s report absolving president Mr Jacob Zuma of responsibility for security upgrades to his private home.
In Mpumalanga the EFF’s two MPLs, Mr Alfred Skhosana and Mr Collen Sedibe, became unruly when agriculture MEC Mr Andries Gamede didn’t answer questions about allegations of fraudulent land-restitution deals to their satisfaction.
The Sunday Independent recently published allegations that a forensic investigation by Mr Paul O’Sullivan had implicated premier Mr David Mabuza in alleged fraudulent land-restitution deals done in Badplaas while he was still the MEC for agriculture in 2003.
Skhosana asked whether land audits had been done by die provincial department. Gamede responded that they had been done nationally. Skhosana’s next question was whether remedial actions were in place to avert possible fraud.
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Gamede pointed out the matter had been withdrawn by the Hawks and took the opportunity to criticise the press “for making it their project to discredit the president of the country. We have the same situation here”.
In response to more questions about corruption allegations in land restitution, Gamede said he was concerned about infighting in communical property associations.
Skhosana would not accept these answers. Acting Speaker, deputy Mr David Dube, ruled him unruly. Sedibe joined his colleague in refusing to sit down. Dube ordered both to leave, numerous times.
EFF MPLs refuse to leave house after being ordered to by Speaker for today @LowveldMedia #Mpumalangs Legislature pic.twitter.com/ktm3GBmSA7
— Mireille de Villiers (@antwall85) August 18, 2015
Dube then deliberated with the legal team before suspending proceedings.
Ms Zamagambu Memela-Gamede, spokesman for the legislature, said afterwards it was unfortunate that the expected level of behaviour could not be observed on Tuesday, where “even the use of un-parliamentary language was experienced”.
“(Dube) further directed that the matter be referred to the relevant committee for consideration and to determine the extent to which the members conducted themselves. This matter is now subject to investigation by the relevant committee of legislature, and it is only that committee that can make pronouncements about the behaviour of the MPLs.”
- Read more on the EFF and the Speaker Ms Thandi Shongwe here.
