Ramathuba dominated headlines last week when she told a Zimbabwean patient that foreigners were collapsing the health system.
Ramaphosa joined a parliamentary sitting virtually to answer questions from MPs on various issues, including Ramathuba's sentiments. The president was disrupted on several occasions.
Proceedings were delayed because the EFF wanted Ramaphosa to first answer questions on Phala Phala. Party members made points of order throughout the session, with EFF leader Julius Malema telling the president to keep quiet when one was raised.
EFF members were dissatisfied when Ramaphosa did not answer their question on the matter, saying it was under investigation.
They halted proceedings for more than an hour.
After multiple points of order aimed at the Phala Phala saga, speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula requested the parliamentary protection services to escort certain EFF members out of the building.
Former spy boss Arthur Fraser alleged in June that at least $4m (about R65m) was stolen from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
He further alleged that Ramaphosa failed to report this robbery and instead unleashed Rhoode to investigate and cover it up by, among others, interrogating and paying off the alleged robbers.
EFF MPs also demanded the session be held in person so that the executive could be properly held to account.
The party also wanted the house to discuss a report on the violent removal of its MPs in June.
Malema said it was befitting of Mapisa-Nqakula to present the report on the cases that his party had reported to her on alleged sexual harassment of female MPs by parliament protection services staff.
Malema said this had to be dealt with before Ramaphosa answered the questions.
“Through that report there could be recommendations, where you announced how those matters would be handled going forward,” he said.
Malema also took issue with parliament’s continuous hybrid meetings, saying this was done deliberately to protect the executive from scrutiny.
“We cannot continue to meet in the manner we are meeting. You are doing this to micromanage us,” he said.
Malema wanted the session – held in a hybrid format, with some MPs physically attending and others connecting virtually – to be postponed. He said there should be “a proper sitting of MPs, all of us under one roof”. “
Postpone the sitting, arrange a proper venue and allow us to sit under one roof. You are protecting the executive from being properly held to account,” he said.
In response, Mapisa-Nqakula said the report would be discussed by the rules committee on Friday.
Parliament announced earlier this month that an independent investigator found no evidence of gender-based violence and sexual harassment during the removal of disruptive MPs from the house.
On the call for physical meetings of parliament, she said she is meeting with party whips next Wednesday to find a solution.
Ramaphosa, who was connected virtually, eventually started responding to MPs’ questions more than an hour later than scheduled.
He apologised for not being in parliament.
“It was my desire to be in the house. I have a family situation, my wife has had a procedure and I want to be there to support her.”
– TimesLIVE
LISTEN | When there is a point of order you keep quiet, Malema tells Ramaphosa
The president did not answer questions on Phala Phala, saying the matter is under investigation. The EFF was not happy with this
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
President Cyril Ramaphosa has echoed Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba's stance on the impact of foreigners on service delivery.
Ramathuba dominated headlines last week when she told a Zimbabwean patient that foreigners were collapsing the health system.
Ramaphosa joined a parliamentary sitting virtually to answer questions from MPs on various issues, including Ramathuba's sentiments. The president was disrupted on several occasions.
Proceedings were delayed because the EFF wanted Ramaphosa to first answer questions on Phala Phala. Party members made points of order throughout the session, with EFF leader Julius Malema telling the president to keep quiet when one was raised.
EFF members were dissatisfied when Ramaphosa did not answer their question on the matter, saying it was under investigation.
They halted proceedings for more than an hour.
After multiple points of order aimed at the Phala Phala saga, speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula requested the parliamentary protection services to escort certain EFF members out of the building.
Former spy boss Arthur Fraser alleged in June that at least $4m (about R65m) was stolen from Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
He further alleged that Ramaphosa failed to report this robbery and instead unleashed Rhoode to investigate and cover it up by, among others, interrogating and paying off the alleged robbers.
EFF MPs also demanded the session be held in person so that the executive could be properly held to account.
The party also wanted the house to discuss a report on the violent removal of its MPs in June.
Malema said it was befitting of Mapisa-Nqakula to present the report on the cases that his party had reported to her on alleged sexual harassment of female MPs by parliament protection services staff.
Malema said this had to be dealt with before Ramaphosa answered the questions.
“Through that report there could be recommendations, where you announced how those matters would be handled going forward,” he said.
Malema also took issue with parliament’s continuous hybrid meetings, saying this was done deliberately to protect the executive from scrutiny.
“We cannot continue to meet in the manner we are meeting. You are doing this to micromanage us,” he said.
Malema wanted the session – held in a hybrid format, with some MPs physically attending and others connecting virtually – to be postponed. He said there should be “a proper sitting of MPs, all of us under one roof”. “
Postpone the sitting, arrange a proper venue and allow us to sit under one roof. You are protecting the executive from being properly held to account,” he said.
In response, Mapisa-Nqakula said the report would be discussed by the rules committee on Friday.
Parliament announced earlier this month that an independent investigator found no evidence of gender-based violence and sexual harassment during the removal of disruptive MPs from the house.
On the call for physical meetings of parliament, she said she is meeting with party whips next Wednesday to find a solution.
Ramaphosa, who was connected virtually, eventually started responding to MPs’ questions more than an hour later than scheduled.
He apologised for not being in parliament.
“It was my desire to be in the house. I have a family situation, my wife has had a procedure and I want to be there to support her.”
– TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos