EFF MP maKhawula calls Mabuza a liar
A UDM MP says the deputy president had failed to answer any of the questions during the question and answer session, and only gave responses.
Deputy President David Mabuza. Picture: Gallo Images/Masi Losi
Deputy President David Mabuza was accused of failing to provide answers to members of parliament (MP) during his oral reply session in the National Assembly today.
During Mabuza’s response to an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) follow up question, EFF MP Makoti Khawula rose on a point of order ahead of her comrade to highlight that Mabuza had failed to provide concrete replies during the session.
An EFF MP, who had to complete her follow up question when she rose on a point of order, had asked whether as the leader of business, Mabuza would back the red berets’ draft bill to nationalise the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb).
Speaking in IsiZulu, Khawula questioned whether Mabuza, under the auspices of the governing party’s Thuma Mina (send me) campaign launched by state and ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa with the aim to improve service delivery with the help of ANC volunteers and South Africans, had been sent to the house to lie to parliamentarians.
Khawula said Mabuza was lying to MPs because he had failed to answer any of the questions posed by parliamentarians.
Khawula is known for speaking IsiZulu in parliament and on social media platforms has gained popularity for providing a degree of entertainment during sessions in the house.
During the deputy president’s oral reply session today, United Democratic Movement (UDM) MP Mncedisi Filtane also rose on a point of order, pleading to the Speaker to allow him to make a statement even if it caused discomfort.
Filtane clarified to the Speaker that he was rising on a rule that deals with relevance of matter, though he could not recall its exact number.
“Chair, with pain I have to say that we are appealing to the deputy president to familiarise himself with matters that we raise and issues in our questions.
“Definitely all his responses and to everybody who had follow-ups, he came nowhere near to answering, he just gave responses. There’s a difference between a response and an answer,” Filtane said.
The UDM MP suggested that Mabuza should have spoken to the minister of Public Works, Thulas Nxesi, ahead of the session so the deputy president would be up to speed about the day’s subject matter.
Mabuza, however, was of the view that Filtane’s comment was not deserving of a response from him.
“It’s a criticism we will probably have to look into. Can we move to the next question?” Mabuza questioned as laughter broke out in the house.
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