Cape Town - DA MP David Maynier had to leave the National Assembly chamber on Wednesday when he refused to withdraw his remark that President Jacob Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet at the behest of the Guptas.
Maynier was the second-to-last speaker in the debate on the presidency's budget and took a theme many an opposition speaker took - Zuma's perceived destruction of the economy.
Maynier reminded the House about how Zuma couldn’t remember the nine points of his nine-point plan for the economy, during a question session earlier this year. Zuma laughed.
Maynier said the dramatic Cabinet reshuffle late on the night of March 30 had nothing to do with improving Cabinet's efficiency, as Zuma had said, but everything with handing Treasury to "his number one clients, the Guptas".
The ANC asked for a point of order. House chairperson Cedric Frolick said he would refer to the table staff for guidance, and allowed Maynier to continue his speech.
"The new minister of finance was appointed to de-fang Treasury," said Maynier.
"The nutters, fixers, rent-seekers used to be outside the Treasury. Now they're in the Treasury," he said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from former finance minister Pravin Gordhan.
While Maynier was speaking, Zuma often laughed, especially when his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa mimicked Maynier's characteristic swaying behind the podium.
When Maynier finished, Frolick said Maynier had to withdraw his remark. While Frolick delivered his ruling, Maynier chatted with Zuma. Both men smiled.
Maynier looked at his whips, and DA deputy chief whip Mike Waters nodded at him. Maynier said he refused to withdraw. Frolick said he must leave the House, which he did, amid a standing ovation from the DA, and jeers from the ANC.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela spoke next.
He spent much of his speech talking about former DA leader Helen Zille's tweets on colonialism. The prevailing view in the DA was that colonialism was a good thing and the party only acted against "Madam Zille" because she made this view public, he argued.
"They're caught up in repeating Zille's craziness, or repeating ANC policy. They're continuing with the lineage of colonialism. They're continuing with the lineage of apartheid."
He brought up DA leader Mmusi Maimane's trip to Zambia last week. He wanted to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema, but was deported.
Maimane, who according to Manamela had "polished and multiple English accents" looked at him with a smile and a furrowed brow.
Earlier, Agang SA's Andries Tlouamma said the Guptas had become the ANC's own Broederbond.
"It is alleged that you donated the Treasury to the Guptas. Honourable president, I want to warn you, our country is not for sale," he said.
