The EFF statement on the Chief Whips Forum in Parliament

16 February 2015

The Economic Freedom Fighters notes the statement of the ANC Chief Whip's Office which speaks about developments in Parliament during the State of the Nation Address. In their statement, the ANC statement says, "The parties have agreed to work jointly to shun anarchy, restore order, respect the supremacy of the rules and laws governing the business of Parliament and preserve the decorum of the institution".

The EFF was not part of this Chief Whips Forum because the invitation that was issued by the ANC did not have an agenda and we refused to participate in a meeting without an agenda. We however agree in principle that Parliament should shun anarchy, restore order, respect the supremacy of the rule and laws governing the business of Parliament and preserve the decorum of the institution. An impression should however not be created that the problems of Parliament are because of the EFF's presence in Parliament.

The EFF's insistence on compliance and adherence to the Rules of the National Assembly and Joint Sittings is a principled position which seek to expose the reality that for the past 20 years, opposition parties have been failing to hold the executive accountable. Opposition parties have been letting the executive go with murder and unaccountability and allowed to be abused by narrow majoritarianism, which is often applied without regard of the Rules of Parliament.

The people of South Africa have noticed on the 12th of February 2015 during the SONA that the ANC does not have respect for the Rules of Parliament. They instead resort to physical force and violence, assault defenceless women who pose no physical threats to any Member of Parliament. South Africa has noticed for itself that when defeated on proper procedure, the ruling Party resorts to violence.

The EFF will continue to robustly engage in Parliament, and present cogent alternate policy positions in Parliament and will do so within the Rules. The EFF will continue to use many other avenues to challenge the utter disregard of Parliamentary Rules and regulations. Like it happened before, fair and sound Courts of South Africa will once again that the source of anarchy and instability in Parliament is the ruling party and its partisan presiding officers who take sick and unjustifiable decisions.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the EFF will participate in the debates and speak to the real state of the nation, not what Zuma said on the 12th of February 2015. No surrender! No retreat!

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, February 16 2015

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