Cape Town — The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal chairperson, Helen Zille, has praised the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, for “saving the day” when he requested a caucus break at the National Assembly (NA) sitting on Friday.
Zille said Shivambu spoke on behalf of everyone, and not just the EFF, when he requested a 30-minute break shortly after Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo, had sworn in the MPs.
The request led to a few murmurs from within the NA, The Citizen reported.
“Can we make a request to have a break to have a caucus about the process that is about to happen now? We want to consolidate our position, and it is constitutional to make this request. It’s within the law,” Shivambu asked.
@helenzille on #TheCMShow tells me that had @FloydShivambu not asked for a break in that 1st sitting of Parly last week, the DA wouldn’t have voted for the ANC’s Thoko Didiza because the agreement was not signed then. “Floyd saved the day” she tells me.
— Clement Manyathela (@TheRealClementM) June 17, 2024
While the murmurs continued, it appeared that the DA was hoping Zondo would approve the request and the Chief Justice granted a 15-minue break.
Zille claimed, in an interview with Clement Manyathela on 702, that had Shivambu not requested the break, the DA would not have signed the agreement with ANC to establish the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“Floyd Shivambu actually saved the day. If it wasn’t for Floyd Shivambu calling for that caucus break, we would not have gotten the GNU agreement signed and the DA would not have been able to vote for Thoko Didiza as the Speaker,” said Zille.
“We made up our minds that we were not going to vote with the ANC until we had a signed deal. It was obviously crucial for us. If Floyd Shivambu had not called for that caucus break, believe me, we wouldn’t be here,” Zille added.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
