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1st LD Writethru: S. African parliament in chaos as President Zuma faces tough questions

Xinhua, March 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Africa's parliament was plunged into chaos again on Thursday during a fiery session where President Jacob Zuma responded to tough questions.

Opposition MPs howled and shouted at Zuma when he defended his abrupt firing of then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene in December last year.

Zuma replaced Nene with little-known MP David van Rooyen but dismissed Van Rooyen within three days, and went on to name the experienced Pravin Gordhan.

During the session, Zuma insisted he "hires and fires" cabinet ministers as mandated by the constitution.

He said Nene was transferred to a post at the BRICS New Development Bank -- an institution launched by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

He refuted accusations that Nene's removal caused the rand to plummet, arguing the rand was in trouble before Nene left office.

House Speaker Baleka Mbete had to order the MPs, including leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Mmusi Maimane, to sit down as they were standing there, shouting at Zuma.

Maimane refused and was ordered to leave. Other DA MPs walked out of parliament in solidarity with their leader.

Some MPs also challenged Zuma over the links between his government and the wealthy Indian-South African Gupta family.

Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas and former MP Vytjie Mentor have recently revealed that the Gupta family offered them ministerial posts.

Zuma denied the allegations. "There's no minister here who was appointed by the Guptas. Ministers here were appointed by me," he said.

The opposition has accused Zuma of allegedly letting the Guptas sway the government.

In an interview in January, Zuma said he was not bothered by perceptions of his relations with the Gupta family.

"Do you know the Guptas have been the friends of the presidents of this country? I am not the first one," Zuma told the local eNCA TV.

South Africa has in the past year seen several rowdy parliament sessions during which Zuma was answering questions, mostly in relation to corruption allegations. Endit