EFF objects to inquiry into SONA disruptions, denies any wrongdoing
Economic Freedom Fighters MPs will be interviewed to give their version of events when party officials disrupted the State of the Nation Address (Sona) earlier this year.
FILE: Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema objects as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attempts to deliver his State of the Nation Address at Parliament in Cape Town on 13 February 2020. Picture: AFP
CAPE TOWN – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs will be interviewed to give their version of events when party officials disrupted the State of the Nation Address (Sona) earlier this year.
Parliament is preparing to move ahead with its investigation into the MPs after the powers and privileges committee met virtually on Tuesday to hear a legal opinion on which steps to take.
Parliamentary legal advisor, Advocate Thiloshni Gangen, told the committee that it would first have to question EFF members before charging them.
She said that they would have to give their side of the story and then only could an inquiry charging them with contempt go ahead.
“That although the question is to determine whether the conduct amounts to contempt, no definitive answer could be given at this stage because the version of the events of those to be charged have not been provided as envisioned by the procedure contained in the schedule to the rules,” Gangen said.
But the EFF denied any wrongdoing and objected to the inquiry.
“So, what are we still doing? This matter, in my view, is closed unless the Speaker then says she wants honourable Ndlozi to be brought to the powers and privileges committee for raising an invalid point of order,” said EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
The committee also appointed Advocate Ncumisa Mayosi from the Cape Bar to lead the probe.