The ANC and two ministers perceived to be aligned to President Jacob Zuma took a pounding in the National Assembly on Tuesday on their alleged involvement in state capture.
Co-operative Governance Minister Des van Rooyen was accused by the EFF of trying to use municipalities as funding tools in state capture.
Opposition parties said Van Rooyen did not deserve to occupy his current position after his botched attempt to lead the National Treasury.
The DA and EFF accused Van Rooyen, during the debate on the budget review report for his department, of capturing the municipalities.
But the EFF also took a swipe at the ANC for refusing to allow former public protector Thuli Madonsela to address the Assembly.
This followed a request by Madonsela to the portfolio committee on justice in May to address Parliament before she left office.
EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu proposed a motion to allow Madonsela to address the chamber on her experiences in the office.
All parties supported the EFF’s motion except the ANC, which said heads or former heads of Chapter 9 institutions could use farewell functions to address MPs.
Madonsela could use this avenue to address MPs in recognition of her work, said ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu.
Speaker Baleka Mbete had already written to Madonsela about this, said IFP MP Narend Singh.
Shivambu said there was nothing wrong with Madonsela addressing Parliament, as late former chief justice Pius Langa had also addressed the House.
Madonsela’s report on state capture is at the centre of the fight in the high court in Pretoria between Zuma, Van Rooyen and Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane against the DA, EFF, Cope and the UDM.
Cope MP Willie Madisha said the ANC was afraid of the truth by forbidding Madonsela to address Parliament. He accused Zuma of appointing ministers aligned to him and his agenda.
Andries Tlouamma of AgangSA said it appeared the ANC was running scared of Madonsela.
“I don’t know what the ANC is afraid of. We’re traumatised every year when we are addressed by President Zuma,” he said.
The opposition MPs accused Zwane and Van Rooyen of driving Zuma’s agenda in his cabinet.
The parties said this would have been an opportune moment for Madonsela to talk about her experiences in the office over the past seven years.
Madonsela had several running battles with the ANC in Parliament until her powers were clarified by the Constitutional Court in the Nkandla judgment in March.