National Assembly Deputy Speaker Annelie Lotriet said she will refer the conduct of several EFF MPs to Speaker Thoko Didiza to determine whether they should face disciplinary action.
This follows disruptions during Tuesday’s question-and-answer session with President Cyril Ramaphosa, where MPs were accused of disregarding parliamentary rules and procedures.
“I will refer to the Speaker every member found in contempt of the rules and procedures of this House, as well as disrespect toward the presiding officer. I will also refer the matter to the powers and privileges committee,” Lotriet said.
The incident occurred less than a week after EFF leader Julius Malema lost his Western Cape High Court bid to challenge a parliamentary ethics committee report ordering him to apologize to Judge Keoagile Matojane.
During yesterday’s session, EFF MPs, including Malema, were removed after repeatedly raising points of order.
EFF MP Omphile Maotwe was the first to be ejected after exceeding her speaking time while questioning Ramaphosa about his recent visit to the U.S. She referenced a Constitutional Court ruling that the “kill the farmer” chant did not constitute hate speech.
Following Maotwe’s removal, EFF MP Paulsen questioned the presence of two unidentified men in the Chamber. Lotriet later confirmed they were bodyguards for either Ramaphosa or Deputy President Paul Mashatile and promised to clarify their roles.
While EFF MPs raised concerns about the bodyguards, Ramaphosa responded to a question from BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane, who complained that his earlier question had not been addressed.
Malema interrupted, arguing that the president was obligated to answer questions satisfactorily. “You can’t say the president has the right to answer the way he likes. He is duty-bound to answer to the satisfaction of members. This is not a passing time session,” he said.
Lotriet and Malema clashed, leading to his removal. EFF MPs continued raising points of order about the bodyguards, prompting Lotriet to warn them against further disruptions before ejecting several from the Chamber and virtual platform.
Among those removed were EFF chief whip Nontando Noluntshungu (virtually) and Sihle Lonzi (from the Chamber). At one point, EFF MP Sinawo Thambo questioned why Ramaphosa did not attend virtually if he felt unsafe, stating, “Ask them to leave. We don’t feel comfortable having people who are not elected.”
After repeated inquiries, Lotriet confirmed one bodyguard was assigned to Ramaphosa and another to Mashatile. The bodyguards eventually left, but EFF MPs demanded the reinstatement of their ejected colleagues.
Lotriet maintained her rulings, leaving little time for Ramaphosa to address remaining questions. She apologized to the president, stating written replies would be provided, and Didiza would determine further steps.
