The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have kept their promise to disrupt President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Thursday, saying they will not be deterred by “constitutional delinquents”.
“February in parliament, when Cyril starts, we start. This is how it plays. When he starts to speak, we also start. We will not be handled by people who do not respect the Constitution,” said EFF leader Julius Malema during the party’s media conference this year.
Phala Phala issue ‘unresolved’
When the president ascended the podium, Malema stood in line and asked the Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to ask the president to sit down.
He asked Mapisa-Nqakula to close the meeting because Ramaphosa had taken parliament to court. The President challenged the report on him by the section 89 parliamentary panel in Phala Phala.
“We have a problem with him before the court. So we are waiting for the court’s decision on the matter, then we can proceed with the meeting,” said Malema.
“There is nothing stopping the president from addressing parliament,” Mapisa-Nqakula replied.
Mapisa-Nqakula also called on ATM president Vuyo Zungula to leave the House after joining the EFF order point.
After refusing to leave, the NA speaker asked parliamentary security to remove him.
“Your Honor Zungula is quoting the wrong rules,” he said.
He further clarified that he asked him to leave the House because he refused his instructions to sit down, and not because he was quoting the wrong rules.
The EFF intensified calls for Ramaphosa to step down late last year after the publication of the Section 89 panel, which found that the president may have a case to answer over the theft of the Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
“These findings are tantamount to treason in South Africa by those who have been entrusted with upholding, defending and advancing the laws of this country,” the EFF said at the time.
Also read: EFF: Ramaphosa loses his right to be president when he conducts business like a ‘mafia’
Before Sona, the EFF met and again decided to interrupt his speech.
“Our people must understand that the only way out of this permanent misery is to remove the ANC government and that starts with the removal of Cyril Ramaphosa as a matter of urgency,” the party said.
We give Ramaphosa a chance
In an interview with Newzroom Africa, EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said Ramaphosa has failed to keep his promises.
Also read: EFF vows to remove Ramaphosa ‘disgraced, exposed, penniless’
“In the first State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, he was not bothered. In fact, the EFF chief and leader said that he should be given a chance if he does not allow himself to be controlled by external stakeholders, who are guarded by factions that try and dictate what is must be done. do it to enrich yourself. He has failed to do so. He allowed factions to prevent him from withdrawing because he has an interest. So we have given him a chance and now we are harassing him,” he said.
Disruption is ‘effective’
Sinawo said he believes the party’s disruption is “effective”, as most South Africans do not have access to the president.
“We think it is effective because we have more than 1 800 000 voters who have given us their trust to ensure accountability in parliament. Our people are tired, living in darkness, poverty, the cost of living is increasing every day, we cannot live in South Africa again.
Also read: Phala Phala report: Ramaphosa maintains his innocence despite the findings against him
“You will be surprised how many people expect us to face them, they cannot access and we can. We are the representatives who want to make them feel the emotions that our people feel on the street. “