On Tuesday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) encountered yet another blow in their efforts to secure attendance at the State of The Nation Address (SONA). The party’s attempt to prevent Parliament from enforcing recently-adopted House rules to manage the disorderliness often associated with its conduct during SONA proceedings failed before the Western Cape High Court.
In a last-minute attempt to ensure the attendance of their leader, Julius Malema, and five other party members at Thursday’s SONA, The EFF had urgently sought to block Parliament from applying these rules for this year’s SONA, scheduled for Thursday.
These rules prohibit interrupting the President’s speech, during which he could make critical announcements.
Last year, Parliament’s Powers and Privileges Committee found the six EFF MPs guilty of contempt of Parliament and issued them a month-long suspension from 1 to 29 February 2024. It also recommended that they be docked pay.
This would mean that the suspended members would miss Thursday’s address.
At the 2023 SONA, the six MPs rushed to the stage to protest while the president delivered his speech. They were calling for Ramaphosa’s resignation following the Phala Phala scandal.
The EFF labelled the new rules as “ludicrous” and “stupid.” According to EFF National Chairperson Ntombovuyo Mente, the rules are a deliberate targeting of the party’s activities. “We cannot be told, as members of Parliament, we come in, sit there and not say anything. That’s against the law,” Mente said.
