Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema and 19 of his fellow MPs were today identified as being the group responsible for the disorder that erupted in the National Assembly on August 21.
Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso, testifying in the disciplinary process against the EFF MPs in Parliament, was shown raw video footage of the events that unfolded.
Xaso was given a pointer and asked to identify each EFF politician by name from the footage, which was shown on a projector. “The member I am pointing at now would be the honourable Khawula.
Then honourable Malema, honourable Shivambu...” Xaso told Parliament’s powers and privileges committee.
He went on to identify each of the other 17 MPs who were seen chanting and singing in the House after National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete suspended proceedings due to the EFF refusing to obey her instruction to “leave the House”.
Mbete had tried to boot out the EFF MPs after they disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s question time by chanting “Pay back the money” at him.
They were referring to the R246-million in state funds spent on his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, a portion of which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had recommended he repay.
The disciplinary process is continuing in the absence of the 20 MPs, who face contempt of Parliament charges. The accused MPs withdrew from the process on Tuesday, following a statement made by Malema.
In his statement, Malema attacked the legitimacy of the committee and asked instead that Mbete be charged for disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The committee said it could not heed the request for the charges to be withdrawn as legally it did not have the power to do so.
Only the Speaker had the authority to withdraw charges against MPs. Malema and the 19 EFF MPs risk being suspended from Parliament for up to 14 working days if found guilty.
National Assembly secretary points out errant EFF MPs
Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso, testifying in the disciplinary process against the EFF MPs in Parliament, was shown raw video footage of the events that unfolded.
Xaso was given a pointer and asked to identify each EFF politician by name from the footage, which was shown on a projector. “The member I am pointing at now would be the honourable Khawula.
Then honourable Malema, honourable Shivambu...” Xaso told Parliament’s powers and privileges committee.
He went on to identify each of the other 17 MPs who were seen chanting and singing in the House after National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete suspended proceedings due to the EFF refusing to obey her instruction to “leave the House”.
Mbete had tried to boot out the EFF MPs after they disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s question time by chanting “Pay back the money” at him.
They were referring to the R246-million in state funds spent on his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal, a portion of which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had recommended he repay.
The disciplinary process is continuing in the absence of the 20 MPs, who face contempt of Parliament charges. The accused MPs withdrew from the process on Tuesday, following a statement made by Malema.
In his statement, Malema attacked the legitimacy of the committee and asked instead that Mbete be charged for disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The committee said it could not heed the request for the charges to be withdrawn as legally it did not have the power to do so.
Only the Speaker had the authority to withdraw charges against MPs. Malema and the 19 EFF MPs risk being suspended from Parliament for up to 14 working days if found guilty.
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