LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN PARLIAMENT

13 June 2012

On Tuesday June, 11 June 2012 I was ordered to leave the chamber because I responded to the Deputy Speaker's request for me to withdraw my inference that the President had violated his oath of office by not upholding the Constitutional rights of artist Brett Murray, Editor Ferial Haffajee, and Goodman Gallery Owner Lisa Esser and that furthermore he had not waited for the judiciary to make its pronouncement on the matter.

After my departure from the chamber, the Chief whip of the ruling party averred that I was unruly.

In fact, during the debate I was called Shilowa by two members of the ruling party, one of whom was the Minister of Public Enterprise, Malusi Gigaba. In spite of my appeal to the Deputy Speaker for protection I was afforded. In fact the patently unparliamentarily conduct of the minister and the MP who disparagingly called me "Shilowa" was neither disallowed at the time of the time nor ruled out of order in the subsequent review although it was indisputably unparliamentary.

Anyone who witnessed the debate will know that it was members of the ruling party who were unruly and making personal attacks but were allowed to get away with it.

I ask the presiding officers to ensure that a level playing field obtains so that all MP's are treated in exactly the same way. 

Update:

I have now studied the ruling made by the Deputy Speaker during Vote 1 debate in the National Assembly where she required me to withdraw some parts of my speech.

The Deputy Speaker has violated the constitutional rights of the legislature on the internal arrangements, proceedings and procedure of National Assembly.  Section 58(1) which state that Cabinet members, Deputy Ministers and members of the National Assembly have freedom of speech in the Assembly and in its committees, subject to its rules and orders.

I have also come to a well considered realisation that the Deputy Speaker is in violation with Rule 66 of the rules of the National Assembly as well.

In that it says, "No member shall reflect upon the competence or honour of a judge of a superior court, or of the holder of an office (other than a member of the Government) whose removal from such office is dependent upon a decision of this House, except upon a substantive motion in this House alleging facts which, if true, would in the opinion of the Speaker prima facie warrant such a decision."

In terms of this section we don't a substantive motion for the members of the house including the president and the cabinet.

Consequently I have decided to approach the court in order to seek release both on behalf of the Congress Of the People and on my own behalf.

COPE President; Hon. Mosiuoa Lekota

Statements issued by Mosiuoa Lekota MP, COPE President, June 13 2012

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