Off the wire
• Feature: Three-wheel cars transform lives of youth in Mogadishu  • 3 Cameroonian civilians killed by suspected Boko Haram militants  • Clashes in Indian-controlled Kashmir against settling of West Pakistan Refugees  • 1st LD: 2014 hottest year on record: U.S. gov't agencies  • 1st LD-Writethru: China launches tourist tax refund scheme  • Oldest British person dies aged 114  • First round of Libya political dialogue "constructive," says UNSMIL  • Africa Focus: West African leaders push for joint military action against Boko Haram  • Xinhua Asia Pacific news summary at 1610GMT, Jan. 16  • Senior official champions Party values at community level  
You are here: 　 Home

S. African MPs face suspension for rule breaking

Xinhua, January 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

The National Assembly of South Africa on Friday vowed to suspend MPs who break rules during joint house seatings.

MPs who are found to be in contempt of joint house sitting rules could face sanctions such as suspension, said Masibulele Xaso, Secretary to the National Assembly.

He was speaking after the Economic Freedom Fighters threatened to disrupt President Jacob Zuma when he delivers the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament in February.

The opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs heckled Zuma on August 21 last year when he was answering oral questions in Parliament. This led to the disruption of the session, the first time since 1994 when the first democratically elected Parliament was formed .

Twelve EFF MPs were suspended for different periods for their disruptive behaviour.

The EFF MPs want Zuma to pay back the mony he owed in the security upgrades at his private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The project allegedly cost public funds worth 246 million rand (about 22 million U.S. dollars).

The EFF has said they would continue to heckle Zuma during Parliament sessions until he pays back the money.

In his Friday remarks, Xaso said measures would be taken to ensure that Zuma delivers the SONA in a smooth way.

Earlier this week, parliamentary legal advisors and the National Council of Provinces held a workshop with the parliamentary media on how rules are applied during joint sittings, according to AM Live radio. Endi