Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s State of the Province address got off to a shaky start as her attempts to hold a moment of silence for the deaths of the mentally challenged patients at the Life Esidemeni centre were shot down.
Proceedings are currently under way at the Western Cape Provincial Legislature where the premier is addressing the first sitting of the House.
In her opening address, Zille told the House she wanted to start off with a moment of silence for the 94 patients who died at Life Esidimeni last year.
Objections from the House stated that such a request should come from the Speaker of the House and not the Premier. The Premier then withdrew her request.
Last Thursday, during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address, attempts by the Democratic Alliance to observe a moment of silence for the patients were also shot down by Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbethe.