CAPE TOWN – Parliament has started another disciplinary hearing involving Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs, who are accused of disruptive conduct and calling the president a “criminal” without substantiation.
The eight MPs facing these new charges at the hearing include party spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, Natasha Ntlangwini and Naledi Chirwa.
The MPs are accused of disrupting the National Assembly during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidency budget vote on 9 and 10 June 2022.
But the EFF has called for the hearing to be postponed to wait for the courts to decide on the fairness of the process.
Parliament has kicked off its activity for the year with yet another hearing involving the EFF.
Last year, Parliament concluded two hearings, with one involving leader Julius Malema for disrupting SONA in February.
Advocate Tanya Golden, the initiator in the hearing, read out the charges against the first accused, Natasha Ntlangwini.
“During the proceedings, you willfully refused and or failed to obey rule 69D of the rules of the National Assembly, when you called the president a money launderer and accused him of criminal conduct.”
EFF advocate, Mfesane Ka-Siboto, repeated calls for Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to appear before the hearing and called for a postponement.
He said that Parliament should wait for the Part B court application to review and decide on the fairness of the process.