Parly slaps EFF ‘repeat offenders’ with another month-long suspension, hefty fines
Parliament’s powers and privileges committee said the nine EFF members recently found guilty of contempt of Parliament should be suspended and fined up to a month’s salary.
CAPE TOWN - The National Assembly's powers and privileges committee has slapped Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) "repeat offenders" with another month-long suspension and hefty fines.
The committee said the nine EFF member of Parliament (MPs) who were found guilty of contempt of Parliament for another disruption two years ago should be suspended and fined up to a month's salary.
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The MPs include Naledi Chirwa and spokesperson Sinawo Thambo, who were found guilty after disrupting President Cyril Ramaphosa's presidency budget on 9 and 10 June 2022.
The EFF MPs were given sanctions ranging from a 30-day suspension, a penalty equivalent to a 30-day salary, and a 15-day salary fine for other MPs.
The members also have to apologise to the president and Parliament.
“There are previous incidents involving a few of the members, I would mention them as repeat offenders,” said initiator Advocate Penelope Magona-Dano.
On the sanctions, African National Congress deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said the punishment was fitting.
However, EFF counsel Mfesane Ka-Siboto said the committee applied double standards and didn’t rule out approaching the courts for relief.
“If the instruction comes to go to court on review, we will take those issues up”.