Cape Town - The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) will be holding a press conference after the events that took place when their planned disruption of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sixth State of the Nation Address resulted in the party being ejected.
Earlier, dignitaries and MPs graced the red carpet in front of the National Assembly’s temporary home at the Cape Town City Hall as the SANDF’s band played pop and jazz melodies.
At exactly 7pm, Ramaphosa started his speech but barely a minute in, he was disrupted by EFF leader Julius Malema, who rose for “a point of order”.
When handed the microphone, Malema insisted that Ramaphosa sit down. “We can’t have two speakers standing at the time,” he quibbled.
Malema argued that because Ramaphosa had taken the findings of Parliament’s Phala Phala report on judicial review, he had “passed a motion of no confidence” in the institution.
“He can’t have his cake, stand and eat it because until the court has resolved between us as Parliament and him, he’s got no leg to stand before us as a legitimate body to address us. And therefore I ask that the Speaker should declare this meeting closed because he had no right to even convene us to come here. How can he convene the people that he has taken to court?” Malema asked.
While Malema and a procession of EFF MPs, including the party’s deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, mouthed off, Ramaphosa sat stoically in his chair.
Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula gave a stock-standard response to all those raising points of order: Next week they would have their time to respond when the speech was debated.
When African Transformation Movement leader Vuyo Zungula stood up to raise his point of order, he was quickly ordered out of the joint sitting.
Eventually, some EFF MPs were ordered out, but instead of heading for the exit doors, they made their way to the stage, a move which prompted Parliament’s Protection Services and the police task force members to rush to block them from making their way to Ramaphosa.
The incident has sparked a lot of debate on social media with many people weighing in on the party’s actions.
This is an absolute disgrace. The ANC-led government is itself a massive disappointment, BUT ... the EFF is quite literally subverting democratic processes themselves. How are voters supposed to regard them as a clear and credible alternative to the ANC?!
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) February 9, 2023
Pantomime. #SONA2023 pic.twitter.com/PxBZVxqQm8
What the EFF did once again was shameful & reveals them as unprepared & not trustworthy to lead at any level. They have showed that they do not deserve the respect of the people.
— Lorenzo Davids (@UrbanLo) February 10, 2023
Notwithstanding how much u disagree with someone, the Constitution calls on us to respect each other.
Presidential security services did well. No one should charge at the president like that. There is nothing special about EFF. They were dealt with correctly. pic.twitter.com/q2tIyp2lYY
The EFF is the people's organisation, inspired by people's suffering on the ground...#Asijiki pic.twitter.com/CeWnRcavNM
— Philip Danie (@Phillip_Danie_) February 10, 2023
Some of these MPs don't know why they are in Parliament. They are just happy for the salary, perks, clapping hands, drinking bottled water, yawning and fake laughing here and there.
— FIGHTER LADY M³💜 (@MapulaMokgosang) February 9, 2023
I am glad my vote didn't go to waste with the EFF. pic.twitter.com/qPwspA0LOF
Following last night’s events, the party released a statement condemning what they called “the pure violence and barbaric behaviour which occurred in Parliament”.
“In scenes that resemble countries which are under military dictatorship, MPs were violently attacked at Sona by a mob of what is presumably a mixture of law enforcement agencies, including possibly members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), who entered the Assembly chambers without any instruction from the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“This violence was inflicted on members, in order to prevent a peaceful protest and the display of placards raising concerns on the actual state of the nation, after the speaker undemocratically and unconstitutionally denied members the right to raise points of order.
“The scenes in Parliament today, are reflective of the kind of Presidency Ramaphosa leads. It is one of the suppression of democratic debate, abuse of state organs and law enforcement agencies to undermine accountability and unrepentant violence,” the EFF said.
“Ramaphosa is a dictator, who will weaponise the state at the slightest inconvenience or confrontation of his poor and destructive leadership.“
The party’s press conference will begin at midday on the 10th of February 2023, and be run by EFF leader Julius Malema.
♦️In Pictures♦️
We will never retreat!
The EFF will hold a Press Conference to be addressed by CIC @Julius_S_Malema at 12:00 PM, on the 10th of February 2023#SONA2023#EFFTurns10 pic.twitter.com/hPRDsixwTN
♦️Must Watch♦️
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) February 9, 2023
CIC @Julius_S_Malema engaging with members of the media outside Parliament
Where have you ever seen the media being prevented from speaking to members of Parliament? Only under dictatorship to South Africans being denied an opportunity to see what’s happening pic.twitter.com/8qaBurdjSC
Forty-six minutes after he was supposed to start, Ramaphosa eventually got under way with his speech.
Perhaps the most important announcement was that his government had declared a “state of disaster” to deal with the electricity crisis.
“The state of disaster will enable us to provide practical measures that we need to take to support businesses in the food production, storage and retail supply chain, including for the roll-out of generators, solar panels and uninterrupted power supply,” Ramaphosa said.
(Additional reporting by Theolin Tembo)
quinton.mtyala@inl.co.za