Parliament dress code, the hiccups - PHOTOS

Economic Freedom Fighters have come out boldly and strongly on their first day of parliament.

Men fully clad in red overalls with matching hard hats, and women MPs dressed as cleaners, with headscarves.

A bold move indeed.

However this statement was not met without challenges.

Mbuyiseni Ndlozi confirmed that he and Malema were told to remove their berets by staff accrediting MPs for Saturday's presidential inauguration in Pretoria.

Sapa reports that both men refused to remove their EFF headgear and left the accreditation venue at Parliament.

They were later called back and allowed to wear their signature berets.

During the swearing-in, the men had to remove their hard hats.

While campaigning for the  May 7 elections Julius Malema made it clear that he along with the EFF executives were going to wear public servant clothing to show that they unlike existing cabinet members were going to do the public a service, even going as far as unblocking toilet drains.

This is not the first time dress code has been an issue in parliament.

In the most recent past Former MP for the Democratic Alliance Lindiwe Mazibuko too has been in the receiving end of comment about her clothing at parliament.

She wore a red jacket with a short black and white dress.

ANC MP Buti Manamela chose to comment on the outfit when he spoke and said,” Honourable Lindiwe Mazibuko has bad fashion taste and has been arrested by the fashion police.”

It might have been the choice of red jacket that Manamela had issue with, who knows? 

In 2002 a foreign gentleman was reporting on the SA Weather Bill, attended parliament in jeans and a t-shirt.

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The chairperson of the proceedings Advocate Johnny de Lange chastised his look, saying: “I certainly do not expect you to wear a tie, or jacket, but to wear beachwear shows a lack of respect, don’t you think?”

The parliament’s dress code states that members should only dress in accordance with the dignity of the house.

One wonders how long it is going to be before MP’s taking stock of Mandla Mandela’s traditional regalia.