ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu has slammed the DA over the party’s request, during Thursday’s state of the nation address, for a moment of silence in honour of the 94 psychiatric patients who died after being moved from Gauteng’s Life Esidimeni facility, run by the JSE-listed Life Healthcare group.
A fresh row was brewing between the country’s two largest parties over the request, with National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete refusing to allow a 30-second silence just before President Jacob Zuma delivered his address.
Mthembu told reporters in Parliament on Friday that the DA chose to use the tragedy to grandstand during the address and did not give him or the speaker any prior indication of their intentions. However, DA leader Mmusi Maimane told a briefing earlier on the same day that the party had requested an opportunity to hold a moment’s silence on the day of the address prior to the ceremony, which also marks the opening of Parliament for the year.
Mthembu condemned as "opportunistic" the points of order raised by the DA, saying that if the party was sincere about Parliament paying respects to the deceased, it would have followed normal procedure and notified the presiding officers. "There was no consultation with us on the request for a moment of silence. If honourable member Mmusi Maimane says that he consulted me, he is lying," said Mthembu.
He said the ANC parliamentary caucus also expected swift and decisive action over the EFF’s scuffle with security personnel who stormed the floor to eject them from the House after they had kept Zuma from commencing with his address for more than an hour.
"Parliament must act. It is not for us, the ANC, to decide if criminal charges must be pursued. Parliament staff can’t be assaulted by the EFF using amakarapa. Are they not a weapon that can be used to assault people, as we have seen? It is not the first time that this has happened," he said. "What should the rules do regarding this matter? If they are used to assault staff and perhaps later other members, what should the committee on rules do about this. Let’s reflect on it."
Mthembu said he was surprised to learn of the extent to which the presence of the military had pervaded the precinct of Parliament on the evening of the address. He said the caucus would ask for an investigation into this, as well as into the release of pepper spray on the floor of the House at the time members of the EFF were being ejected.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.