Parliament has denounced the disruption that occurred at a joint meeting on Wednesday between the standing committee on finance and the portfolio committee on trade and industry by civil society group Black First Land First (BLF).
Parliament said in a statement that BLF leader Andile Mngxitama had verbally attacked the chairperson of the committee on trade and industry Joan Fubbs.
The altercation continued till Mngxitama called her a “fascist” and threatened to physically assault the chairperson of the standing committee on finance‚ Yunus Carrim.
The joint meeting was holding an all-day session to hear public submissions on transformation of the financial sector.
Attempts by the chairpersons to restore order were met with racially abusive language and threats‚ resulting in the hearings being disrupted for 20 minutes.
Parliament said it deplored Mngxitama’s “appalling” behaviour‚ which it said was in breach of the open and democratic culture of engagement that it seeks to promote.
According to the statement‚ Mngxitama had attended the meeting to have a showdown‚ rather than to engage the committees.
Parliament said it encouraged active public participation and a culture of robust and free exchange of diverse views.
However‚ all participants are expected‚ at all times‚ to uphold the spirit of the constitution and the rules of parliament.
Parliament will investigate the incident and assess what further steps should be taken.