Riyaz Patel
EFF MPs were thrown out of Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s budget vote address Thursday after party members shouted, heckled and confronted him.
When Gordhan took to the podium, EFF members tried to prevent him from delivering his department’s budget vote.
EFF howls of “constitutional delinquent,” rang out on in the chamber.
They were referring to a report by Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane relating to the establishment of a “rogue unit” at the South African Revenue Service while Gordhan was SARS commissioner.
After EFF MPs raised the Public Protector report as cause for their refusal to allow Gordhan to speak – even confronting the minister at the podium and shouting at him – the EFF was ejected.
After the sergeant at arms saw the EFF MPs out of the chamber, Gordhan commenced with his budget vote.
Gordhan told MPs, “We are fighting to undo state capture and what you just witnessed was a defence of state capture through intimidation.”