*Article has been updated
Parliament – President Zuma is incorrigible and rotten to the core. That's the view of EFF leader Julius Malema. Malema layed into Zuma after rising on a point of order. He said that Zuma was in violation of his oath of office. Malema's salvo was part of several points of order raised by the EFF.
President Zuma is a delinquent and should leave the National Assembly. The EFF's Mbuyiseni Ndlozi launched a scathing attack on Zuma under the guise of a point of order.
Ndlozi said that Zuma had breached the constitution and should leave the National Assembly. "uBaba, please leave. You don't belong here," said Ndlozi to loud cheers from members of the EFF.
Meanwhile COPE's Willie Madisha has been asked to leave the National Assembly by NCOP chairperson Thandi Modise. Madisha refused and parliamentary protection officers were called in to remove him.
Proceedings got off to a shaky start in Parliament as MPs from opposition parties demand their concerns are addressed before President Zuma can make his address.
Even before President Zuma took his seat, members of the Economic Freedom Fighters began chanting ‘Tsotsi’ (criminal) as he walked in while being praised by 11-year-old Given Lubisi. Given, who is the youngest praise singer in the history of Parliament, could not be heard as African National Congress MPs responded to the EFF’s chants by shouting "ANC" repeatedly.
The EFF raised numerous point of orders and requests, including that they be protected from police ready to attack them with cable ties and "biological weapons".
EFF Deputy President Floyd Shivambu stood up to request protection from the house, stating that they had it on good authority that there were SAPS members in the assembly whose job was to arrest EFF members and inject them with ‘biological contents’. “We have it on good authority that 21 members of SAPS are here in Parliament whose intention is to arrest EFF members,” says Shivambu.
“They have cable ties that they plan to use on EFF members to tie us down.
“We also know that they have injections on them with biological contents which are going to knock them out for the rest of the day.”
The Democratic Alliance’s Chief Whip John Steenhuisen stood up to request a moment of silence in honour of the 94 mentally ill patients from Esidimeni.
But Speaker, Baleka Mbethe said the appropriate time to discuss that matter would be next week during the debate on SONA.
She also dismissed the EFF’s points saying the house could not go on heresy but worked in accordance with the rules.
“I agree with you but we will hold on that point until the debate next week.”
IOL and ANA