Tensions flared in Parliament on Tuesday when African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Khusela Diko raised a point of order against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Leigh-Ann Mathys during a heated committee session involving Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia.
The confrontation erupted as Mathys questioned Cachalia over what she termed “the political shielding of compromised police generals.” Diko interrupted, citing the question as “unparliamentary and speculative,” arguing that it undermined due process and the minister’s integrity.
“Chairperson, that question is out of order. The honourable member is imputing improper motives without evidence,” Diko asserted, drawing murmurs from both sides of the chamber.
Mathys, however, stood her ground, defending her line of questioning as “legitimate oversight” into the operations of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and ongoing corruption investigations. “We cannot sanitize accountability simply because it makes the executive uncomfortable,” she retorted.
Committee Chairperson Thandi Maseko was forced to intervene, urging members to maintain decorum and adhere to parliamentary rules. She eventually ruled that while Mathys’ concerns were valid, her phrasing should “avoid personal insinuations” against the minister.
Cachalia, who had remained composed throughout the exchange, later addressed the committee, affirming that his ministry was “fully committed to transparency and institutional integrity.”
The incident highlighted growing tensions between the ANC and EFF benches, particularly over issues of police reform and political interference within the security sector.
Parliament is expected to reconvene next week to continue deliberations on the SAPS restructuring plan — under what is shaping up to be an increasingly charged political atmosphere.