Cape Town — Parliament’s Powers and Privileges Committee has denied the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) request for the postponement of the disciplinary hearing of 10 of the party’s members.
The charges are for the EFF members who disrupted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s budget vote speech on 9 and 10 June 2022. The disciplinary hearing went ahead, despite the EFF’s request to have the hearing postponed. EFF legal representative, Advocate Advocate Mfesane kaSiboto, called for the postponement, citing the ongoing High Court challenge, SABC News reported.
Advocate Tanya Golden, the initiator of the charges, argued against any suspension of the proceedings, stating there was no legal basis for such objections. Despite objections raised by the EFF, the majority of committee members decided to proceed with the hearing as scheduled.
As reported by EWN, The eight MPs in question have pleaded not guilty to disruptive behaviour and failing to obey the Speaker’s orders during a Presidency budget vote in 2022.
The MPs, including Natasha Ntlangwini and spokesperson Sinawo Thambo, are accused of failing to obey rulings and physically handling protection officers. Ntlangwini and the rest pleaded not guilty.
“There must be an independent fact-finding inquiry before you charge members. We need someone to decide on the facts. What we’ll deal with here is evidence that is baseless,” EFF’s , Mfesane Ka-Siboto, said.
The first witness to be questioned in the disciplinary hearing was Secretary to the National Assembly, Masibulele Xaso.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
