Polokwane - The Limpopo ANC plans to introduce tougher laws in the legislature in what appears to be a desperate attempt to stop the EFF’s combative method of engagement during debates.
In fact, during last week’s heated debate in the legislature, Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha labelled EFF MPLs as “disorderly people” who he said abused ANC members.
On Wednesday, ANC chief whip Falaza Mdaka confirmed in an interview with The Star that plans were afoot to introduce punitive measures against the EFF for any behaviour deemed disruptive.
He said EFF MPLs were undermining their ANC colleagues on a personal level during House debates while they did not in fact have ideas that were taking South Africa forward.
“What they are doing is to undermine the leadership, and we cannot be a country that undermines its own leaders,” Mdaka said.
He likened the EFF’s role in the legislature to that of a child in a family set-up. “When you are in a house, there should a father and a mother, and if you’re a child and your role is to undermine your parents, then you’ve lost it.”
The move by the provincial ANC underscores calls by the national leadership to tighten laws in Parliament following numerous disruptions by EFF MPs.
Mdaka said that if the EFF were allowed to continue undeterred, “that might end up diverting us as legislature”.
The ANC holds a vast majority of seats in the legislature, compared to the 10 seats controlled by three opposition parties. The fierce antagonism, which ANC officials have described as anarchy, started when the EFF secured six seats in last year’s elections. The EFF deposed Cope as the official opposition in the province.
Last Thursday, MPLs locked horns over a notice of motion by Mdaka that called for the removal of Speaker of the legislature Merriam Ramadwa. The notice was scheduled to be debated on Tuesday, where the ANC was expected to use its majority to pass the motion.
But the EFF blocked the discussion by obtaining an interim court order at the 11th hour, which the ANC will oppose.
Ramadwa’s ANC membership was suspended last month after she refused to resign her position. She was the first ANC Speaker in the Limpopo legislature since 1994 to face a possible hostile removal by the ruling party.
Mdaka said the EFF was trying to dictate who the ANC should deploy to its positions. “Our leadership cannot be determined by the opposition,” he added.
EFF provincial chairman and MPL Mike Mathebe laughed off the ANC’s attempts to introduce new laws targeted at his party.
“They’re just emotional. They’re doing things out of anger,” said Mathebe, adding that the EFF would oppose the validity of the mooted laws in court.
Mathebe said the only thing that the legislature could do was to deploy bouncers, the same way the National Assembly has done. “That’s all they can do.”
The Star