SA’s Opposition MPs promise to behave themselves after Ramaphosa intervenes

Many years ago, I visited Parliament for the annual Budget reading by then Finance Minister Owen Horwood. It was an education neither expected nor forgotten. During the debate, the MPs acted like little children, interrupting with innane comments and at one point joining together to chant their displeasure. Nothing that I have experienced since has changed a poor perception of these supposed leaders of the nation. So the latest fracas in Parliament is really nothing new. What should surprise us, though, is how otherwise rational, logical voters perpetuate a system of patiently going to the polls every five years hoping that this time the politicians' promises will be fulfilled, but knowing that's unlikely. Overlay the pillaging of the public purse by these worthies – legally through spendthrift rules they wrote for themselves – and you have to wonder how long the public's insanity will last. Then again, democracy is a lot better than its alternatives. – AH

By Emsie Ferreira of the SA Press Association

MPs facing suspension from Parliament were granted a reprieve on Tuesday as Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa tried to restore calm to the legislature.

However, his intervention drew only a lukewarm response from opposition parties.

"Are we going to put these things that happened into abeyance? Yes, because we are going to find political solutions, collectively as a collective of political leaders," Ramaphosa said.

Talking to the media after crisis talks with opposition leaders following the chaos in the National Assembly last Thursday, Ramaphosa added that President Jacob Zuma would come to Parliament regularly to answer "difficult" questions on condition he was treated with respect.

"We have agreed that we are going to create a climate, create a conducive climate for the executive to be accountable to come and answer questions in Parliament," Ramaphosa said.

"Saying that we are going to create a climate so that there is respect, there are no insults, there is proper decorum in which all members of the executive can come and answer."

But Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane said Ramaphosa had only secured a tentative agreement from his party to toe the line, while the EFF responded by saying they did not need a "hand-out".

Maimane added that Ramaphosa had not persuaded his party to end a defiance campaign against Speaker Baleka Mbete, and at an afternoon sitting DA MPs remained seated when she entered the National Assembly.

He said Ramaphosa's decision to set up a working committee of parliamentary party leaders was "an admission that Parliament is not working under the speakership of Baleka Mbete".

Two DA MPs then addressed Mbete as the "chairperson from Luthuli House" a reference to her other role as ANC chairwoman, which the opposition says undermines her independence — though they rapidly withdrew the comment.

Mbete presided for only an hour before handing the reigns to her deputies but opened the session by reminding MPs that their parliamentary privilege was subject to the rules of the house.

And ANC chief whip Stone Sizani issued a statement saying all parties were shamed by the events of last week, when riot police entered the National Assembly to forcibly remove an EFF MP who called Zuma a liar.

"The nation is frowning at all of us. As parties, we must take responsibility for the complicity, either by commission or omission, in the deteriorating situation in Parliament."

In a member's statement, Maimane said sending police into the chamber was "a brutal assault" on democracy and demanded that the new working committee, due to meet next week, must answer the still open question of who issued the order.

"Democracy relies on uninhibited debate and robust politics in Parliament," he added.

Zuma has not returned to the chamber to complete presidential question time after he was heckled by the EFF on August 21 over the Nkandla saga and the long absence largely spurred the opposition MPs' open revolt last Thursday.

Deputy Justice Minister John Jeffery retorted: "Don't be ridiculous. Debate was not curtailed. There are restrictions on debate. If you insult someone you withdraw."

Eleven hours into the sitting, further friction was avoided when DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen announced that he and Sizani had agreed the scheduled debate on an opposition motion calling for Zuma to be censured for breaching the rules of the National Assembly, would stand over to Wednesday.

Earlier, Steenhuisen told Sapa the motion would be amended to take note of the morning's meeting with the deputy president.

Ramaphosa had also sought to assure the opposition that Parliament's independence and the Speaker's impartiality were non-negotiable.

"The principle that we have all reaffirmed is that the presiding officers in Parliament must be impartial, they must apply rules consistently, without any prejudice. They must demonstrate that in reality."

The opposition, who chanted "you must go" at Mbete last week, have been increasingly scathing of her tenure since ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe in September called on the legislature to shield Zuma.

The Assembly had been due to consider a report from the powers and privileges committee finding 20 EFF MPs, including party leader Julius Malema, guilty of misconduct charges stemming for confronting Zuma.

By the time Ramaphosa met Maimane and other opposition leaders, the item had disappeared off the parliamentary schedule.

Ramaphosa said the new working group, which he will chair with Maimane and Sizani as his deputies, would start meeting next week and consider last week's events.

This included the fact that the live feed from the chamber was cut when the police entered. Ramaphosa conceded that the black-out was "of concern", though a Business Day report said it was authorised in a document outlining new instructions to parliament's administration issued after the August heckling.

The opposition members who met Ramaphosa included Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, EFF MP Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, the United Democratic Movement's Bantu Holomisa, the African Christian Democratic Party's Kenneth Meshoe, the Congress of the People's Mosiuoa Lekota, and the Freedom Front Plus's Pieter Mulder. – SAPA