*This article has been edited
Johannesburg - The Limpopo legislature degenerated into a house of heckling between ANC and opposition members over the ruling party’s notice of motion to remove Speaker Merriam Ramadwa.
Thursday’s debate heated up to a level where Premier Stan Mathabatha fired a disparaging salvo at EFF MPL Jossey Buthane.
Said Mathabatha in Sepedi: “Sit down! O ye o fokotse dimpa tseo tsa gago! (Go and reduce your belly).” He said the EFF member was being unruly.
“We are being abused unnecessarily by people who are very disorderly,” he said.
This was after the finger-wagging Buthane had sarcastically told Agriculture MEC Joy Matshoge to return “our missing cattle”.
Mathabatha appeared to be about to stand in an attempt to defend his member of executive council, when Buthane interjected. Buthane, who was seemingly the most outspoken among the 10 opposition MPLs, didn’t pull any punches every time he stood up.
He dared the presiding officer, Lehlogonolo Masoga, to institute disciplinary action against the dissenting opposition or dock their salaries. “We’re already wet; we’re not scared of the rain,” said Buthane.
The argument stemmed from a notice for a motion by ANC chief whip Falaza Mdaka calling for Ramadwa’s removal.
The ANC suspended Ramadwa’s party membership last week. It ordered her not to enter the legislature’s premises but she remained defiant that she would continue her duties as Speaker. Thursday’s sitting was the first since her suspension and was chaired by her deputy, Masoga.
Opposition parties insisted that the removal of the Speaker be decided through a secret ballot, but their request was ignored.
Senior ANC MPLs reminded them that, as the opposition, their numbers were too few to make a difference.
Economic Development MEC Seaparo Sekoati said the opposition was holding the legislature to ransom. “I don’t think we should continue listening to people who were elected by a few people.”
Mdaka reminded the opposition that the ANC was the ruling party. “It will take them so long to be in the majority and lead this country,” said Mdaka.
After three hours of heckling, all opposition MPLs, including those from the DA and Cope, staged a walkout in protest against the refusal to hold a secret ballot.
The opposition and some ANC MPLs, speaking anonymously, believed Ramadwa would win the vote if she were removed through a secret ballot.
“I’m shocked. The ANC is in the majority but they fear to go to the secret ballot, why?” said Mike Mathebe, EFF provincial leader. He later said the EFF would go to court to challenge the Speaker’s removal.
The Star