Cape Town – EFF leader Julius Malema and five other party MPs walked out of a disciplinary hearing into their conduct during the State of the Nation Address (Sona) in February, where they disrupted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech.
The charges include contempt of Parliament.
According to IOL, Malema characterised the hearing as a “kangaroo court” and said that he would not allow himself to be persecuted by a “white man,” specifically referring to initiator Anton Katz, SC.
“You can go and be together in your own arrangement there. We are not going to participate in this kangaroo court because its outcome has been determined even before by yourself and the DA [Democratic Alliance],” EWN quoted Malema as saying.
This occurred following the unsuccessful attempt by the EFF legal team, headed by advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi, SC, to defer the disciplinary hearing to the next year
Malema, along with EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu, Marshall Dlamini, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Vuyani Pambo, and Sinawo Thambo, faces charges of contempt of Parliament. These charges stem from their ascent to the stage with placards during Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), leading to security officers intervening and disrupting the joint sitting at City Hall.
Ngcukaitobi urged an independent chairperson for the inquiry, claiming bias due to the committee’s majority being ANC members.
The hearing was set to continue on Tuesday in the EFF MPs’ absence.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu