EFF MPs are left out of pocket

Malema and Flloyd at parli. Photo Jeffrey Abrahams

Malema and Flloyd at parli. Photo Jeffrey Abrahams

Published Nov 28, 2014

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Siyabonga Mkhwanazi

The ANC muscled through the Powers and Privileges Committee report – punishing EFF members for disrupting proceedings in August – by using its majority to adopt the report.

The majority of 211 members voted in favour of the report, while 111 voted against it and three abstained.

The approval of the report will leave half of the 20 EFF MPs out of pocket in December, as their salaries will be docked for that month.

The other 10 will be suspended for 30 days.

This was after Parliament once again degenerated into a farce as the EFF dragged on proceedings for several hours by staging a filibuster in a bid to stymie the report.

The ANC earlier moved for the adoption of the report, but opposition parties rejected the report, saying it was flawed.

EFF chief whip Floyd Shivhambu tabled a long amendment to the motion for the adoption of the report.

But exasperated ANC ministers and MPs called on Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli to rule against EFF’s tactics.

They called for Tsenoli to be tough on the EFF and block its disruptive strategy.

The EFF made it clear its amendment to the motion was very long and would quote lengthy reports from the public protector and the Special Investigating Unit.

Senior ANC ministers interjected several times, calling for Tsenoli to halt the EFF.

Chairperson of the portfolio committee on telecommunications and postal services Mmamoloko Kubayi said they could not be held to ransom by the EFF.

During the debate earlier, EFF leader Julius Malema said the ANC was doing everything in its power to protect President Jacob Zuma.

Chairman of the powers and privileges committee Lemias Mashile called for strong action against the EFF members.

He said when the EFF was called to present argument for mitigation of sentences, they demonstrated arrogance and refused. ANC MP Juli Kilian said new members of the opposition needed to understand ”politics 101” – how majority rule worked in a democracy.

She said the ANC got 11 million votes in the May elections.

“With its electoral majority the ANC chose the president, the speaker and deputy speaker. It was the first time that the speaker candidate was opposed. As a senior office-bearer of the ANC, it was argued she was not suitable to be speaker,” said Kilian.

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