Independent Newspapers
National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu.
Durban – The conduct of MPs who heckle and call each other names like “clowns” and “darkies” came under the spotlight on Tuesday, with National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu rebuking even members of his own party.
Sisulu, an ANC MP, cracked the whip by making a number of rulings forcing errant MPs to withdraw their offensive remarks and declaring them “un-parliamentary”.
His deputy, Nomaindia Mfeketo, also made a ruling on the most recent case involving DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko.
Mfeketo ruled in favour of the DA following its complaint and called on the ANC’s John Jeffery to withdraw his remarks regarding Mazibuko.
“The part of the statement that refers to Mazibuko’s weight appears on the face of it to be a reference to her physical appearance.
“Members will remember that in the past many rulings were made on remarks regarding members’ physical appearance and these have always been found to be insensitive, offensive and (a) violation of a member’s dignity.
“I have no intention to depart from this precedent and accordingly find the remarks not only insensitive but un-parliamentary,” said Mfeketo.
Jeffery had said Mazibuko was a “person of substantial weight” while her “stature was questionable”.
Jeffery withdrew his comment and apologised. “The statement was not meant to be sexist.”
Sisulu earlier declared remarks made by Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana – that a DA member had “lied” – as un-parliamentary.
DA deputy chief whip Sandy Kalyan contended that Xingwana had accused the DA of lying. Kalyan asked that Sisulu declare the remark as un-parliamentary and demanded that Xingwana withdraw the remark.
Xingwana said at the time: “We want to dispel all accusations that the DA have made when the budget vote was presented. They said that I employed my friends in the department. I do not have any such friends. Young people I work with are too young to be my friends. Secondly, they accused me of defrauding the department of millions of rands to buy my household furniture. That is a pack of lies.”
Sisulu said that after studying the recordings of the debate, he found Xingwana’s remarks were indeed un-parliamentary. “Thus an allegation that a member of the house is lying has always been ruled un-parliamentary. Whereas if such allegations were levelled against a political party, it would not be ruled un-parliamentary,” said Sisulu.
He ordered Minority Front MP Rohith Bhoola to withdraw his remarks that Kalyan was a “clown and a mascot” for being complicit in her party’s racism.
“In this particular case, honourable Bhoola’s accusation of racism initially reflects on the DA as a party, but when he continues to infer that the honourable Kalyan is complicit in that racism by keeping quiet (that) is un-parliamentary,” said Sisulu.
Sisulu ordered Bhoola to withdraw his remarks.
Sisulu also ruled against ANC MP Buti Manamela for telling a DA member to “stop being the acceptable darkie in the DA. You actually know where you belong. It is not enough to say ijob yijob (a job is a job).”
The Mercury
