The maiden sitting of the seventh Limpopo legislature degenerated into pandemonium when a verbal conflict erupted between the speaker, Makoma Makhurupetje, and members of the EFF.
Premier Phophi Ramathuba was set to answer questions following her speech at the legislature’s opening in Polokwane last Friday.
The verbal exchange ensued when Makhurupetje chastised the red berets for refusing to honour her when she entered the legislative chambers in Lebowakgomo on Thursday.
Legislative decorum dictates that members of the legislature rise when the presiding officer enters the house, but the EFF members adamantly remained seated, much to the house chair’s annoyance.
They also refused to rise during the silent prayer session, and that was when the speaker lost her cool.
An irate Makhurupetje wasted no time in ordering EFF members to leave the house.
“There was no reason that informed the EFF to remain seated. This is in contempt and disregards the authority of the presiding officer deliberately. I therefore request members of the EFF to leave the house,” Makhurupetje ordered.
The EFF’s conduct has been widely criticised in the legislature.
Lindy Wilson, provincial leader of the DA, said the EFF’s stand was unjustified and disrespectful to the house.
The DA expressed its belief that the speaker’s decision to exclude EFF members from the house was justifiable.
“We cannot have the legislature business being hampered and processes undermined by petty behaviour. Limpopo has many issues that need to be tackled, and we need to get down to business. Our job is to oversee and monitor the executive as opposition and to hold them to account, not to hold the house to ransom.”
The ANC said the EFF’s disruptive conduct had undermined the decorum of the
legislature and “as a party, we support the referral of their conduct to the ethics committee”.
The party’s provincial spokesperson, Jimmy Machaka, said: “We call upon members and leaders to desist from acting in a childish manner because this is just unwarranted in the legislature. Rules and decorum must be respected at all times. It is not necessary for opposition parties to act in a disruptive manner simply because they are opposition parties.”
Despite widespread condemnation in the house, the EFF is not lowering its guard; instead, it has accused the presiding officer of “laziness”.
Provincial party leader Lawrence Mapoulo said the EFF condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the conduct of the speaker who removed them from the official opening reply by the premier.
“The irrational removal of EFF MPLs is a ploy to shield the premier from giving accurate answers to issues raised by the EFF during the debate on the official opening of the 7th administration address. Unprovoked, the speaker called on security officers to remove EFF MPLs for not standing up when she entered the house.”
He said the EFF would not be forced to rise and salute people who fail to provide services to the people of Limpopo.
“Any attempt to undermine the presence of the EFF in the legislature will be confronted through the house, committees, and other legal channels.”
He added: “We will never allow the partisan speaker to intimidate us in an endeavour to weaken and compromise democracy. We will never surrender to laziness or systems that seek to glorify the mediocre.
“The EFF Limpopo is committed to holding the executive and government accountable.
“Removal or no removal from the house, those who fail to do their work will be held to
account and to respect the people of Limpopo.”
