Floyd Shivambu and photo-journalist Adrian de Kock. Picture: Twitter video screenshot/@JasonFelix
Footage of EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu allegedly grabbing Adrian de Kock by the throat in retaliation to the journalist asking him for comment while taking a picture has gone viral.
Another EFF MP was also manhandling the journalist.
The EFF issued an apology over the incident on Tuesday after the SA National Editors’ Forum said such conduct was unacceptable. The Parliamentary Press Gallery Association also said it was appalled by the EFF members’ conduct.
Shivambu said in a statement that he regretted his conduct, which he blamed on having been in a hurry to get to a meeting of the finance committee, but he denied it was assault. He called it a “scuffle” and said he had not known De Kock was a journalist.
The encounter was witnessed by multiple journalists in Cape Town outside parliament who were seeking comment on parties’ views on Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille.
Shivambu walked back into parliament after realising that he was being witnessed pushing De Kock around.
Shivambu has had nasty encounters with journalists before. In 2011, while he was still with the ANC, a recording emerged of him telling Media24 Investigations journalist Jacques Dommisse “fuck you” after the journalist quizzed him about a lavish safari trip Malema had been on.