National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has defended her decision to allow MPs to vote openly on the Section 89 Independent Panel of experts report into the Phala Phala farm saga.
Mapisa-Nqakula dismissed claims by opposition leaders that MPs have been subjected to death threats if they vote for the adoption of the report into the theft of foreign currency at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Limpopo farm.
EFF leader Julius Malema and African Transformation Movement president Vuyo Zungula made sensational claims that some ANC MPs had received death threats should they vote for the adoption of the report.
Malema singled out Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, saying he threatened ANC MPs that they would be expelled from the party should they vote with the opposition.
Sunday World reported that Mantashe has warned that ANC MPs who vote with the opposition would be shown the door the same way as it happened with former ANC MP Makhosi Khoza.
Mapisa-Nqakula sprung to Mantashe’s defence. “I do not recall that [death threats] in the statement made by the chairperson. There was no death threat directed to you,” she said.
Malema insisted that in light of the alleged threats, the voting for the report should be held in secret. “There are members of parliament who have received death threats from the underworld. When you wrote the letters, there were not death threats,” he said.
EFF MP Veronica Mente echoed Malema’s sentiments. “People are going to die and their blood is going to be in your hands,” she said.
Mapisa-Nqakula stuck to her ground and ruled against the vote being held in secret.
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