MPs walk out of session after Speaker Phala Phala refuses discussion

Members of the MKP and EFF walked out of the first session of parliament since the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Thursday after the speaker refused to allow the Phala Phala case to be discussed during the session.

Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa is currently answering questions about, among other things, economic growth and job creation in the National Assembly after Thoko Didiza refused to deviate from the parliament’s programme.

Nontando Nolutshungu, the EFF’s chief whip in parliament, said on Thursday afternoon that MPs cannot listen to someone who does not respect the Constitution.

Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi, the MKP’s chief whip in the parliament, also indicated that the parliament cannot continue normally while the president is facing a state of accusation.

Shortly before the sitting, Mokoena-Zondi sent a letter to the speaker in which she requested that there be a motion of no confidence in Ramaphosa in parliament.

Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi, the MKP’s chief whip in parliament, after the party’s members of parliament walked out. (Photo: MKP/X)

“As you know, that cannot happen today. Today we only have questions for the president. The issue of a motion that you wrote to me about, as you know, needs to be considered and I will answer you accordingly,” Didiza said.

“But you cannot insist that we suspend the point of order so that we can talk about the motion.”

Didiza indicated that there will be an opportunity to talk about the matter in the future and asked that members of parliament not run ahead of parliament’s processes.

Visvin Reddy, MKP MP, accused Didiza of protecting a violator of the Constitution.

The MKP is demanding Ramaphosa’s head after the Constitutional Court ordered last week that the special parliamentary vote which at the time had to determine whether Ramaphosa should be placed in a state of impeachment was unconstitutional and therefore invalid.

However, Ramaphosa insists that he will not resign as president.