MPS tense over complaint to Speaker Modise

TENSIONS flared up yesterday in the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee mandate to amend the constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation.

This happened as a letter of complaint from the DA to National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise was tabled by committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga without proper explanation.

DA MP Annelie Lotriet wrote to Modise about matters that arose from a recent meeting.

In her letter, Lotriet said the EFF’S rowdy behaviour during oral submissions and the failure of Motshekga to act may have potentially violated the constitution and parliamentary rules on public participation.

Lotriet also said Motshekga had allowed EFF MPS to heckle and hurl expletives at Afriforum deputy CEO Ernst Roets.

Roets had, in the same meeting, got into verbal sparring with EFF MPS after he said his organisation did not have confidence in MPS representing the people of South Africa and that the people were not properly represented.

Lotriet said she was unaware of the mandate given to Motshekga to act on behalf of Modise.

“This letter was addressed to the Speaker and it is appropriate for her to respond,” Lotriet said, adding that it would be inappropriate to discuss the letter in the committee.

But, Motshekga said Modise was not a member of the committee and that the letter dealt with matters that arose in their meeting.

ANC MP Cyril Xaba said he found it strange that the DA complained about the conduct of some MPS and ignored the attack on Parliament by Roets.

“I find Mr Roets’s conduct as a guest to this committee highly irregular and provocative,” Xaba said.

“That the DA decides to pick on some members responding to provocative remarks and ignore what he said is highly unbecoming on the part of our colleagues.

EFF MP Floyd Shivambu accused Roets of always undermining Parliament and showing no respect for black people.

Mulder did not take kindly to the language used by Shivambu and voiced his concerns before walking out of the meeting.

EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi lashed out at Mulder and stated that they were not scared of him and Roets.