Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance says it missed the moment one of its MPs was called a “straat meit” in Parliament.
Phumzile van Damme was being insulted by an MP as she was delivering her response to President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address last week.
DA MP John Steenhuisen on Wednesday said they didn’t hear the “straat meit” insult, but would write to the Speaker to complain.
Van Damme had just taken to the podium in Parliament on Tuesday when an MP “on a point of order” stood to question her.
“I won’t take a question from that idiot” was Van Damme’s salty reply triggering an argument.
“I guess she don’t want to take a question from me thank you honourable chairperson” said the ANC MP sheepishly taking his seat.
Van Damme then shouted: “Yes, you were begging for DA membership; now here you are trying to show them that you are committed to the ANC. Sit down!”
Ignoring requests for order by chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Thandi Modise, Van Damme told the ANC MP: “Hou jou bek (Shut up). Put KFC in it.”
Another MP called for Van Damme to be disciplined for using “offensive language”.
But she hit back: “Offensive language? You here on SONA were on the floor shouting ‘f*** you’ to members of the opposition.”
She was referring to comments made to Steenhuisen during SONA.
A shocked Modise told Van Damme to take her seat, and that’s when an unknown MP shouted: “She’s a straat meit.”
Modise did not address the shouter.