Cape Town - Freedom Front Plus MPL Peter Marais has spoken about why he shed tears in the legislature after members of the ANC staged a walkout on Thursday following a spate of ill-tempered exchanges with Deputy Speaker Beverley Schäfer and members of the DA in the chamber.
On Thursday Marais tried to choke back tears as he rose on a point of order after finally catching Schäfer’s eye as leader of the opposition Cameron Dugmore (ANC) led his members out of the chamber.
Marais, who is father of the House, a title that has been traditionally bestowed, unofficially, on either the longest continuously serving member or the oldest member of the legislature, said the tears were a show of despair at the bickering.
“My tears represent those of hundreds of thousands poor, suffering unemployed disillusioned people in the Western Cape who look to the 42 MPLs for answers and solutions.”
Citizens had instead been forced to witness “senseless debates, point scoring, mocking and frivolity”, he said.
Schäfer said she had been left with no option but to invoke Rule 45 of the Standing Rules and requested the Serjeant-at-arms to remove (Pat) Lekker (ANC) from the virtual platform of the sitting.
“Member Lekker was ordered to withdraw for the remainder of the sitting. This action does not affect her participation in parliamentary activities going forward in any way.”
On Friday, Dugmore said the ANC had to point out the serious governance lapse, “especially in how our province and legislature are run”.
“The DA continues to be plagued with internal strife and the result of this was seen in the sitting where the space for democracy was just closed down. What is the DA hiding? Why can’t they debate their divisions and the impact it has on service delivery?”
Asked if there would be long-lasting ramifications to the walk out Dugmore said: “The people of the Western Cape voted for the ANC to fulfil a particular constitutional responsibility. We will not fail them in this duty.”
On the issue of Lekker’s and Kama’s naming he said they were considering all options including the possibility of legal recourse.
“It is our understanding that they were only excluded for the remainder of Thursday’s sitting but we are certainly not leaving it at that.”
Meanwhile Schäfer said she had been left with no option but to invoke Rule 45 of the Standing Rules and requested the Serjeant-At-Arms to remove Lekker from the virtual platform of the sitting.
“Member Lekker was ordered to withdraw for the remainder of the sitting. This action does not affect her participation in parliamentary activities going forward in any way.”
mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za