EFF condemns Western Cape South African Police Services for attempting to prevent members of parliament from executing their duties

11 February 2022

The EFF condemns in the strongest terms, the violent and illegal attempt by the South African Police Services (SAPS) in the Western Cape, who tried to prevent Members of Parliament form executing their duties.

On the day of the State of the Nation Address, police men acted in a manner that is at odds with the electoral mandate given by our people, by arrogantly blocking Parliamentarians from accessing the parliamentary precinct which is today situated in and around the City Hall in Cape Town.

The misguided reporting of a direct blocking of Parliamentarians from executing their Constitutional mandate, as a tussle between the EFF and Police is patently false and is plainly fake news.

It is a fact that the policemen who attempted to stop Members of the Parliament of South Africa were in contravention of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, 2004.

More pointedly, they contravened Section 7 (b) under Chapter 3, which reads that "A person may not - improperly interfere with the performance by a member of his or her functions as a member". This must be read in conjunction with 7 (c), which states explicitly that, "A person may not - threaten or obstruct a member proceeding to or going from a meeting of Parliament or a House or committee".

Considering this Act, which is law in South Africa, it does not take any form of sophistication to understand that those who are supposed to uphold the law in the Western Cape, actively and deliberately broke it.

The acts of the Police are even more alarming when one considers the prolonged pleas by the leadership of the EFF with staff members in front of Marks Building, in the now burnt Parliamentary precinct who inexplicably instructed shuttles not to take EFF Members of Parliament to the City Hall.

Members of Parliament rightfully resolved to walk to the Parliamentary Precinct to execute their Constitutional mandate of exercising oversight of the Executive.

The EFF will not allow Members of Parliament to be undermined and abused by a police force division, which is notorious for a hatred of black people and their senseless ill-treatment of land activists, of which the EFF is a forerunner.

The arrogance and hostility is clearly a bias against the EFF which exists in the entire Western Cape police force, and this resulted in their illogical use of force to prevent Members of Parliament from accessing the precinct.

The collective incompetence of SAPS to protect the Parliament of South Africa, must not result in a chicken audacity and pretence of security, that obstructs duly elected Members of Parliament from doing their work.

All those Police Officers who broke the law must be placed under review and disciplined by the relevant authorities. That proceedings of Parliament are taking place at the City Hall does not suspend Parliament Rules and the Constitution. As long as parliament takes place at the Cape Town City Hall or any other place in the country, the law applies.

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 11 February 2022