EFF and MK Party stage walkout in Parliament over Ramaphosa's motion of no confidence
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza said she is applying her mind to the letter sent by the Progressive Alliance-aligned parties requesting a debate on the motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Image: Tumi Pakkies/Independent Newspapers
Members of the Progressive Alliance, including the MK Party and EFF, staged a walkout in the National Assembly on Thursday after Speaker Thoko Didiza denied their request to debate a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
MK Party chief whip Mmabatho Nthabiseng Mokoena-Zondi raised a point of order shortly after Didiza announced the session would focus on scheduled oral questions for the president.
Mokoena-Zondi made the request on behalf of the Progressive Alliance-aligned parties after she wrote a letter to Didiza earlier in the day.
She said it could not be business as usual when Ramaphosa continued to live under a shadow and faced the impeachment process.
“We can't continue to legitimise his presidency.”
In response, Didiza said she had received the letter.
“I don't think it is for this House,” she said.
“You know that can't happen today. I have not responded to the letter because I am applying my mind on it. Today, we have questions for the president," said Didiza.
EFF chief whip Nontando Noluntshungu sought to invoke the emotions of people who had sacrificed for the liberation of the country.
“We request in this House. We can't sit here and listen to someone who does not respect the Constitution,” Nolutshungu said.
As more points of orders were made, Didiza said it was up to her to preside over the sitting.
“The notices and orders of day are discussed and agreed in the Programme Committee and the Chief Whips Forum. The issue of the motion written to me has to be considered and I will respond to it accordingly, but you can't insist, as we sit here, that we suspend the orders and discuss the motion,” she added.
ATM MP Vuyo Zungula asked Didiza to take the country into her confidence on the Constitutional Court judgment, which set aside the vote of the National Assembly, taken in December 2022, when it declined to refer the report of the Independent Panel to an Impeachment Committee.
The apex court declared two weeks ago that the 129I parliamentary rule, which deals with the removal of the president, was inconsistent with the Constitution and provided a read-in provision pending an amendment.
It also ordered that the Independent Panel report be referred to the Impeachment Committee established in terms of the National Assembly Rules.
The Independent Panel, chaired by retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo, found there was prima facie evidence that President Cyril Ramaphosa violated the Constitution and other laws in the Phala Phala matter.
Responding to Zungula, Didiza said the judgment was about Parliament and its processes.
She also referred the invalidated parliamentary rule on the removal of the President to the Subcommittee on the rules for processing and subsequent consideration by the Rules Committee before it is ratified by the National Assembly.
“That matter does not arise now,” Didiza said in her ruling.