The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK Party) has defended the violent scenes that unfolded at the KwaZulu-Natal legislature on Monday, insisting the disruption was not random lawlessness but a justified response to the speaker’s refusal to protect members of the provincial legislature (MPLs).
MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela rejected claims that the party lost a motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli.
Instead, Ndhlela argued that the sitting itself was unlawful and that the speaker, Nontembeko Boyce, failed in her constitutional duty to safeguard MPLs after requests for a secret ballot were denied.
According to Ndhlela, the atmosphere inside the legislature had become dangerous, with credible death threats allegedly sent to members ahead of the vote.
Despite this, the speaker refused to allow a secret ballot, which the party says exposed MPLs to intimidation and possible harm.
“The commotion that followed was not gratuitous disorder. It was the direct and legitimate consequence of a refusal to protect members and to uphold constitutional safeguards recognised in constitutional jurisprudence,” said Ndhlela.
Speaker’s role questioned
Chaos broke out as members of the MK Party surged towards the front, blocking Boyce from leaving the sitting.
This came after she refused to adhere to the MK Party’s secret ballot demand and allowed the voting process to start while some members were arguing about it, which meant they were not counted.
He accused Boyce of abandoning her role as an impartial presiding officer, claiming her actions directly contributed to the breakdown of order in the House.
“There was no valid vote. There was no defeat. There was only an attempt to force through a dangerous, irregular, and unlawful process while ignoring explicit threats to members’ safety,” said Ndhlela.
“The instability in the legislature was not accidental; it was engineered,” he added.
He said the party would not accept the authority of Ntuli as premier, saying legitimacy cannot come from a process conducted under intimidation and procedural failures.
The MK Party prepares to pursue political, parliamentary, and legal avenues to challenge both the conduct of Boyce and the outcome of the sitting.
Ndhlela maintained that actions of its members were aimed at defending democracy rather than undermining it.
