Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters have once again walked out of President Jacob Zuma’s question and answer session in Parliament after delaying the proceedings for just over 30 minutes.
In chaotic scenes in Parliament‚ EFF leader Julius Malema shouted down Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete before obeying her order to either allow the president to speak or to leave the chamber.
The walk-out by the red berets comes just close on four months after Zuma’s last appearance in the National Assembly on May 17‚ which was marred by the forceful removal of EFF MPs from the House‚ after they had refused to be addressed by the president.
Mbete had a tough time trying to gain control of the House.
“I really would like to appeal to the honourable members in the benches of the EFF to cooperate with the programme of today in this Honourable House. I appeal to you honourable members to cooperate. Honourable members‚ your questions are introducing other business and forcibly trying to make the house proceed on a different basis other than the one agreed to by the National Assembly Programme Committee‚” said Mbete.
Floyd Shivambu‚ the EFF’s deputy president‚ then raised a point of order — even though he was not recognised — and questioned why Mbete said MPs had collectively agreed to be addressed by the president‚ when in fact the EFF had never agreed to do so.
Mbete then called on the sergeants at arms to assist Shivambu to leave the House.
Malema interjected: “On a point of order Chair‚ I’m going to help you to get Honourable Shivambu to leave the House‚ just listen to me. Honourable speaker‚ we have a motion after the president which we want to debate and to ask Honourable Shivambu to leave the House even when he has not defied you‚” said Malema.
“Since you don’t want to recognise me‚ we are going to leave this House because we are not prepared to listen to this criminal. But we will wait outside. When the criminal finishes speaking‚ we are coming back to continue with the business of this Parliament‚” said Malema.
The entire EFF caucus‚ dressed in their regular red overalls and red hard hats‚ then stood up and left the chamber before the sergeants at arms could arrive to forcibly remove Shivambu.