President Cyril Ramaphosa responding to oral questions in Parliament on Thursday.
Image: GCIS
Opposition parties allied under the Progressive Alliance banner, which includes the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), staged a walkout in protest against Speaker Thoko Didiza's refusal to permit a debate on a motion of no confidence against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
MK Party chief whip Mmabatho Nthabiseng Mokoena-Zondi rose on a point of order minutes after Didiza announced that the sitting was to consider the scheduled oral question to Ramaphosa.
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.”
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: Supplied
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 black 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.
“People should not jump the gun in terms of processes. You sit in the Chief Whips Forum and know the steps the Speaker has taken in following the judgment and its implementation," she said.
On Wednesday, Didiza announced the establishment of a 31-member of the Impeachment Committee to give effect to the Section 89 process on the removal of the president.
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.
Instead of the majority party chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli stating their stance on the matter, ANC MP Tshilidzi Bethuel Munyai spoke instead.
Munyani said the Constitutional Court has not made a negative finding against Ramaphosa.
“The court has found issues relating to the rules and processes of Parliament, not his Excellency,” said Munyai amid heckling from the opposition benches.
Didiza, then refused to take further points of orders, restating that she will not suspend the order of sequence of the proceedings.
“Today is about questions to the President and that is where we end,” she said and urged those unhappy with her ruling to follow the necessary procedures.
She issued a stern warning of eviction to MK Party MP Visvin Reddy, who continued to speak without being recognised: “You protect a constitutional delinquent,” Reddy said.
“You can't waste the time of this House,” said Didiza.
“I have made a ruling. As the Speaker of this House I have a duty to make sure this runs smooth."
Didiza again said that Mokoena-Zondi had written to her moments before the start of sitting and expected an immediate response and wanted the motion to be debated.
This prompted MPs from the EFF, MK Party and ATM to stage a walkout after Mokoena-Zondi indicated their intention.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za