Parliament – The debate on President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address came close to being adjourned on Wednesday after presiding officer Raseriti Tau appeared to order the full Democratic Alliance caucus to leave the National Assembly.
The DA benches refused to budge and Tau backtracked.
He had become visibly angry when DA chief whip John Steenhuisen told him that he was “talking rubbish” by ruling a remark by Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota on political “factions” was unparliamentary.
Steenhuisen leapt to Lekota’s defence and accused Tau of being biased against opposition parties in his rulings.
“You are talking rubbish,” he insisted and refused to withdraw the word after Tau objected.
DA leader Mmusi Maimaine stood up to defend Steenhuisen, who repeated his comment twice more. Tau ordered him out of the chamber and Steenhuisen added in parting: “It will spare me listening to your rubbish.”
At this, the DA caucus stood up to applaud Steenhuisen, and chant “go, go” at Tau, who said he had no choice but to “ask the DA to leave”.
Steenhuisen later apologised for the nature of the exchange but for a while it threatened to get out of hand.
ANC chief whip Stone Sizani proposed that the chief whips of parties hold an urgent meeting. United Democratic Movement MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa rose and pleaded for reason, firmly telling Tau that Lekota had not impugned the dignity of an MP because he had not referred to an individual.
The DA remained put, and senior MP Wilmot James reminded Tau that neither the word rubbish nor factions were unparliamentary.
As the debate continued, Kwankwa again rose and asked Tau to clarify what he had ruled in relation to the DA caucus. He said the public was following the debate on television and there could not be a perception of bias.
“We don’t want the people to think that we have rules for the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters.”
Tau, who maintained that he felt insulted by Steenhuisen’s comments, then denied that he had told the official opposition to leave.
“I have said the behaviour of the Democratic Alliance will leave me with no option but to ask them to leave the house,” he said to sniggers from the opposition benches.
DA MP Mike Waters said Tau should consult the Hansard to be reminded of what he had said. When the sitting resumed after a comfort break, Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli told MPs that Steenhuisen had sent a letter to the Speaker’s office apologising for his comments.
Steenhuisen told ANA this was not accurate.
“No I did not send a letter of apology. I sent a letter of regret for the nature of the exchange. I have not withdrawn the word ‘rubbish’ and I am awaiting a ruling from the Speaker withdrawing the ruling made by Tau,” he said.
African News Agency
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