Pretoria – Government says it has noted with “grave concern” the disruptions to the formal programme in the National Assembly in Parliament on Thursday.
“Government has noted with grave concern the disruptions which have unfolded in Parliament yesterday and which are tantamount to bringing the high institution into disrepute.
“Whilst government encourages a continuous healthy and robust democracy, which includes questioning the executives of the country, it must be exercised in a dignified manner,” said Acting GCIS CEO, Phumla Williams on Friday.
On Thursday, during the President’s Oral Reply session, National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete was forced to suspend the sitting after members belonging to the EFF disrupted proceedings following their unhappiness with President Zuma’s response to questions related to the Public Protector’s report on the Nkandla upgrades.
Williams said South Africa is recognised as a country that has made great strides since the advent of democracy and is known for engaging in meaningful and constructive dialogue to resolve any issue irrespective of who is involved.
“Yesterday’s militant confrontation and attitude between MPS and supporters of political parties was not in the best interest of the country and were futile.
“It was a display of anarchy and was not democratic; this is not a culture that we want to portray in Parliament or in any other institution or platform,” she said.
She said the onus was on each South African to protect the integrity of the countrys’s hard earned democracy. “The country gained nothing from yesterday’s action.”
“The Parliamentary platform, which is made up of proportional representation through the polls, is for the use of all political representatives and yesterday’s offence actually deprived South Africans from interacting with President Jacob Zuma through their elected representative,” said Acting CEO Williams.
She said all citizens were reminded that they have recently elected and appointed the public’s preferred candidate. South Africans enjoy their constitutional right to go to the polls every five years to make their mark and to determine how political parties have put across public issues.
“Parliament is one of many platforms that can be utilised to address or raise any concerns. However; we are all reminded that every institution has rules and protocols that need to be adhered to. In an orderly democracy it is expected that people will within reasonable means and within the bounds of decency exhaust their options on a platform before moving on to the next,” said Acting CEO Williams. – SAnews.gov.za
