Security officials remove members of the EFF during the State Of The Nation address. Picture: EPA Security officials remove members of the EFF during the State Of The Nation address. Picture: EPA
Durban – Parliament's presiding officers have referred the physical removal of the EFF and a Cope MP to the joint rules committee.
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chairperson Thandi Modise made the announcement in the Parliament’s announcements, tablings and committee reports released on Monday.
Cope MP Willie Madishe and the EFF were evicted by the so-called “bouncers” after they did not heed orders from Mbete and Modise to leave during the joint sitting of the NCOP and National Assembly on Thursday last week.
“The circumstances of the physical removal of Mr W M Madisha (Cope) and members of the Economic Freedom Fighters together with the unrevised Hansard, minutes and a video recording of the proceedings in question have been referred to the joint rules committee,” the ATC read.
Madisha was the first to be ejected on instruction of Modise when some opposition parties did not want President Jacob Zuma to deliver his address.
He was then followed by a group of EFF MPs who were violently removed by the “bouncers” in white shirts after their leader, Julius Malema, did not leave the chamber when ordered to do so.
The referral of MPs’ physical removal comes amid a probe instituted into the use of pepper spray in the public gallery of the National Assembly that day.
Secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana has been tasked with establishing an inter-divisional committee to investigate allegations surrounding the incidents.
Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem said the removal of Madisha had been politically driven.
He said his party would be part of the debate on the address on Tuesday and Wednesday. Zuma will reply on Thursday.
“We will say our things during the debate, but we will never listen to the illegitimate president. When he opens his mouth, we won’t be in the chamber,” he said.
EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi could not be reached.