Briefing the media at Parliament on Thursday, he said the “disorderly and chaotic” sitting of the House last Tuesday had embarrassed all MPs.

“The chaos and disorder in the NA on Tuesday, which included the banging of tables, notably by DA MPs, in full view of the public, represented one of the lowest points in the history of our multi-party debates.” 

Motshekga was referring to what happened during the sitting on that day when he moved a motion that Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota be censured for “misleading Parliament”.

Opposition MPs, including DA members, shouted, booed and banged on their desks while Motshekga was speaking.

Earlier, Lekota had been ordered out of the House — by Deputy Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo — for refusing to withdraw a statement he had made a week earlier, in which he said that President Jacob Zuma has “defied” a court order.

He said at that time that Zuma had “defied an order, by the Supreme Court of Appeal, to hand over the abbreviated transcripts of the tapes that permitted criminal charges to be dropped or withdrawn against himself”.

On Thursday, Motshekga said MPs’ conduct had been shameful.

“There is absolutely no justification for the abhorrent behaviour, regardless of how aggrieved some MPs were with the decision of the presiding officer.

“Such unbecoming conduct is unacceptable and severely damages the trust, respect and confidence the public should have in this Parliament,” he said.

Motshekga said a meeting of the Multi-Party Chief Whips’ Forum on Wednesday had “reflected at length on the matter”.

“All parties agreed to work both jointly and individually to maintain order and respect for House proceedings, and defend the integrity of Parliament.” 

An appeal had been made to all parties at the meeting to respect the rules of Parliament and uphold the decorum of the House.

Motshekga “rejected the charge levelled at the ANC that it is stifling freedom of expression in Parliament”.

On Lekota’s statement, he said an allegation of “violation of oath of office” or “defiance of a judicial order” by a head of state was a serious matter.

MPs who wished to bring such allegations of improper conduct should do so, in terms of Parliament’s established practice and procedures, by way of a substantive motion.

“The claim that some opposition MPs get kicked out of the House for criticising the president is inaccurate and deliberately misleading,” he said.

Speaking at the briefing, John Jeffrey, parliamentary counsel for the deputy president, said the notice of motion to have Lekota censured was based on his “deliberately misleading” the House.

“What he said was not correct,” Jeffrey said.

Parliament has yet to place the matter on its programme.

Comments

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Wed Jun 19 14:13:33 SAST 2013 ::

Nov 2, 2012

maneater

hai haaai haai man we know that ever since the dawn of democracy parliament has been carachterised by booing and shouting by the very members of the ANC on the opposition, the expulsion of Lekota shows how the ANC is intolerant on the diverse views. this is nothing new but because now its happening to them they cry foul? this hypocrisy is driving me nuts! its official now I HATE THE ANC!!!
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Nov 2, 2012

sibuyim

Because of the stupid rapist. who holds Cape Verde small paper upside down.
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Nov 2, 2012

T.C.T

@ Man -eater

mmhh man eater!!! wat a name...does it mean o jason+senzo?

No amount of justification coming from MOTSHEGA can fool us because the platform to raise context of free speech and debate is in parliament and the tool to do so is a substantive motion HOWEVER we need to know who decides whether a substantive motion gets to be set down? and the parliamentary questions office?because what if the ANC decides to say NO as it did when the DA tried to question ZOOM ZOOM about Nkandla R230m? we are all aware that debates in the house are determined by the programming comittee consituted by all parties and the chiefwhips with the presiding officers and it is a collective exercise now the impression that they are giving seems like the closer we get to MANGAUNG the more drastic the steps taken to silence any criticism




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Nov 2, 2012

KaMudabula75

My understanding is that people have the right to questions if not satistied or disagreed with something.
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Nov 2, 2012

T.C.T

KaMudabula75
My understanding is that people have the right to questions if not satistied or disagreed with something
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes its like that but they must follow the progamme they agreed upon,example if today we talk economy and you decide to bring something irrelevent to the program something like rape issues it means you are acting outside the agreement or agenda in the programm then you are out of order comrade...thats my understanding...but LEKOTA ISSUE was relevent it is just that we no longer have presiding officers like Ghinwala who was so strict and unbiase ,,im sure u know president report to parliament?so dont be surprised wen he is protected by his greedy cadres
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Nov 3, 2012

TheMan2000

What do you expect from Grade 1 pupil.
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