National Assembly Speaker did not refer to EFF MPs as “animals”

14 February 2023

The claim that the Speaker of the National Assembly referred to the Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters as “animals” after she ruled that they must be removed from the sitting during the State of the Nation Address on Thursday, is baseless and misleading.
 
At today’s debate by the joint sitting of Parliament on the address by the President, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr. Amos Masondo, appealed to Members to refrain from repeating the unsubstantiated allegation as he set the record straight.

The unrevised Hansard, a record of the proceedings of the House, confirms that the Speaker’s remark as “phumani, man!”, which is translated “get out, man!”.

The Chairperson, who is co-chairing the joint sitting alongside the Speaker, made this ruling in the House this afternoon.

Issued by Moloto Mothapo, Media Officer, Parliament, 14 February 2023