EFF statement on the nonsensical hearings by the Powers and Privileges Committee against EFF members of parliament
20 November 2023
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns and characterises as a farce, the ongoing proceedings by the Parliament of South Africa's Powers and Privileges Committee, which is currently in the process of conducting hearings against six (6) EFF Members of Parliament, for holding Cyril Ramaphosa accountable at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on the 9th of February 2023.
The EFF has, this morning, withdrawn from what can only be described as a kangaroo court, whose sole purpose is to suppress dissent in Parliament, and reinforce the protection of Cyril Ramaphosa despite his many failures as a President.
On the 20th of November 2023 (Today), the Powers and Privileges Committee commenced its hearings against the Commander in Chief and President of the EFF, Julius Malema, the Deputy President Floyd Shivambu, the Secretary General Marshall Dlamini, Commissars Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Vuyani Pambo and Sinawo Thambo, with the charges of disrupting Parliament at SONA and storming the stage of Parliament in a "threatening" manner towards Ramaphosa, on the 9th of February 2023.
The proceedings began with arrogance by the DA-confidant and renowned legal representative Anton Katz, who illegitimately assumed the role of guiding the proceedings. The legal representation of the EFF in the form of Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi then made an application for postponement of proceedings, on the basis that Parliament had in the first instance waited for ten (10) months to initiate the hearings, giving themselves 10 months to prepare their case, yet had only given the charged Members of Parliament ten (10) days to prepare their defence, after having served the Members with notices of the hearings.