Zuma Expresses Disappointment Over EFF’s Disruption of Parliament
Jun 19, 2015
Staff Writer
President expresses regret, disappointment over chaos in Parliament‚ when planned question session was adjourned due to EFF’s ‘pay back the money’ protest
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has expressed regret and disappointment over Thursday’s chaos in Parliament‚ when a planned question and answer session between him and MPs was adjourned due to the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) "pay back the money" protest.
Mr Zuma’s office said in a statement on Friday he was disappointed that he was "yet again prevented from fulfilling his constitutional mandate to report to the public through the National Assembly".
"President Zuma presented himself for his quarterly oral reply session in the National Assembly. It is regrettable that, yet again‚ some members of the National Assembly made it impossible for the president to respond to questions‚" the statement read.
"The Presidency rejects the statement made by some opposition leaders that the president undermines the constitution and evades accountability. President Zuma has always honoured his Parliamentary obligations to appear before the house."
The president has to respond to oral questions four times a year in the National Assembly and once in the National Council of Provinces. He presented himself on Thursday and the session was disrupted by some MPs. The same disruption occurred on August 21. The president responded to oral replies in the National Council of Provinces on May 14.
"His next oral reply session in the National Assembly is in August. The president remains committed to appearing in the National Assembly to respond to questions."
National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete on Thursday suspended proceedings after two-and-a-half hours of EFF disruption‚ saying that the EFF was undermining the will of SA’s people.
Despite an agreement between all other parties that questions to the president must continue‚ the EFF caucus persisted in shouting: "Pay back the money" even as Mr Zuma took to the podium to answer questions.
The other opposition parties felt that MPs had been deprived of an opportunity to question Mr Zuma and put him on the spot‚ and had provided him with an opportunity to avoid answering tough questions again.
During a stormy closed meeting of representatives of all major political parties on Thursday afternoon while the National Assembly stood adjourned‚ EFF representatives made it clear that they would continue disrupting parliamentary sittings until Mr Zuma had apologised for his behaviour in parliament.
The African National Congress refused to agree to this.
Mr Zuma was scheduled to answer six specific questions from MPs‚ with follow-up questions by other MPs‚ but none of the questions were related to Nkandla.
Because the EFF garnered only 6% of the vote in last year’s election and because the questions are awarded to parties proportionally‚ it was not the EFF’s turn to nominate a question on Thursday.
RDM Newswire
Staff Writer
President expresses regret, disappointment over chaos in Parliament‚ when planned question session was adjourned due to EFF’s ‘pay back the money’ protest
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has expressed regret and disappointment over Thursday’s chaos in Parliament‚ when a planned question and answer session between him and MPs was adjourned due to the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) "pay back the money" protest.
Mr Zuma’s office said in a statement on Friday he was disappointed that he was "yet again prevented from fulfilling his constitutional mandate to report to the public through the National Assembly".
"President Zuma presented himself for his quarterly oral reply session in the National Assembly. It is regrettable that, yet again‚ some members of the National Assembly made it impossible for the president to respond to questions‚" the statement read.
"The Presidency rejects the statement made by some opposition leaders that the president undermines the constitution and evades accountability. President Zuma has always honoured his Parliamentary obligations to appear before the house."
The president has to respond to oral questions four times a year in the National Assembly and once in the National Council of Provinces. He presented himself on Thursday and the session was disrupted by some MPs. The same disruption occurred on August 21. The president responded to oral replies in the National Council of Provinces on May 14.
"His next oral reply session in the National Assembly is in August. The president remains committed to appearing in the National Assembly to respond to questions."
National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete on Thursday suspended proceedings after two-and-a-half hours of EFF disruption‚ saying that the EFF was undermining the will of SA’s people.
Despite an agreement between all other parties that questions to the president must continue‚ the EFF caucus persisted in shouting: "Pay back the money" even as Mr Zuma took to the podium to answer questions.
The other opposition parties felt that MPs had been deprived of an opportunity to question Mr Zuma and put him on the spot‚ and had provided him with an opportunity to avoid answering tough questions again.
During a stormy closed meeting of representatives of all major political parties on Thursday afternoon while the National Assembly stood adjourned‚ EFF representatives made it clear that they would continue disrupting parliamentary sittings until Mr Zuma had apologised for his behaviour in parliament.
The African National Congress refused to agree to this.
Mr Zuma was scheduled to answer six specific questions from MPs‚ with follow-up questions by other MPs‚ but none of the questions were related to Nkandla.
Because the EFF garnered only 6% of the vote in last year’s election and because the questions are awarded to parties proportionally‚ it was not the EFF’s turn to nominate a question on Thursday.
RDM Newswire
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