Johannesburg - The Gauteng EFF on Wednesday accused community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane of violating the provincial legislature's code of conduct and ethics.
“EFF would like to caution the speaker of the legislature to enforce rules as those rules both apply to members of her organisation and opposition,” the Economic Freedom Fighters said in a statement.
It said legislature speaker Ntombi Mekgwe had been biased in asking Nkosi-Malobane to withdraw an insult, and doing nothing when the MEC refused.
The EFF in the legislature claimed Nkosi-Malobane insulted members of the opposition party during an official sitting on Tuesday, saying to them “Nya mmao” (your mother), which is highly offensive in Sesotho, and “nisi jwayela kabi” (you're grinding on our nerves).
The Star newspaper reported that chaos erupted in the Gauteng legislature on Tuesday, resembling scenes that unfolded in the National Assembly last week. ANC and EFF members hurled insults and vulgarities at each other.
An EFF representative called the ruling party the “African National Criminals” and charged that they were responsible for looting the public purse.
EFF member Mandisa Mashego accused human settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo of giving government tenders to his ANC allies.
Mashego claimed that jobs for the construction of houses and sewer upgrades were allocated only to ANC members. Other claims were also made, which angered the ANC.
The newspaper reported that Nkosi-Malobane was heard telling EFF members they were being “over familiar” with them.
Nkosi-Malobane refused to leave the legislature after Mekgwe instructed her to.
Mashego later withdrew her description of the ANC and the claims against Mamabolo.
The EFF on Wednesday said it wanted the MEC to apologise and withdraw her insults. It wanted Mekgwe to ensure this happened before the start of Thursday's legislature sitting.
“We hope that the speaker would enforce the code of conduct so that the spirit of multi-party democracy can continue, as EFF would not allow the sitting to proceed without that apology from the MEC,” the party said.
Sapa