National
Suspension notices sent to EFF MPs: Parliament─── 16:56 Fri, 28 Nov 2014
Cape Town - Letters of suspension and notices of fines have been sent to several Economic Freedom Fighters MPs, Parliament said on Friday.
"The suspensions take effect from today. The 30 days' suspensions expire on 28 December and the 14 days' suspensions expire on 12 December," Parliament said in a statement.
The suspensions follow Thursday night's adoption of a report detailing the transgressions and recommended sanctions in the National Assembly on Thursday night.
The report recommends that EFF leader Julius Malema, EFF Chief Whip Floyd Shivambu, Godrich Gardee, Mpho Ramakatsa, Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi be suspended without pay for 30 days.
Fellow EFF MPs Elsabe Louw, Ngwanamakwetle Mashabela, Nthako Matiase, Hlengiwe Maxon, Magdalene Moonsamy, and Andile Mngxitama, are to be suspended for a fortnight.
Eight more EFF MPs were ordered to submit a verbal apology to the House and were fined an equivalent of 14 days' salary and allowances.
"Suspended members are prohibited from entering Parliament or from participating in any activity of Parliament or its committees without written permission of the Speaker," Parliament said in its statement.
"They are also not entitled to any allowances under the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act for the duration of their suspensions."
EFF spokesman Ndlozi could not immediately confirm whether MPs had received the letters of suspension.
Earlier, Ndlozi said the EFF would turn to the courts as soon as the letters were served on the party's MPs.
"The EFF will be approaching the court for an urgent interdict against Parliament's illegal decision to suspend its leadership," Ndlozi said in a statement.
"Parliament has not issued letters of suspension to the EFF MPs yet, and thus the EFF awaits these letters in order to file court papers."
The party has indicated it will not tender any apologies for the August 21 incident in which President Jacob Zuma's question time in Parliament was disrupted when EFF MPs chanted: "Pay back the money."
They were referring to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report which stated Zuma should pay back a portion of the R246 million spent on security upgrades at his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.
"The EFF reiterates that it shall never apologise for asking Jacob Zuma as to when is he paying back the money," Ndlozi said.
"Furthermore, the EFF remains very proud of its MPs for restoring teeth to parliamentary executive oversight."
Ndlozi said the party was confident a court would find the disciplinary process leading up to the suspensions procedurally unfair.
"We shall approach the courts because we believe that in front of a sober judge, with no Luthuli [House] mandate, and an uncontrollable ambition for promotion for a ministerial job, our action will be vindicated," he said.
"The court will confirm that the EFF went through a kangaroo court in serious violation of principles of natural justice."
Sapa
The suspensions follow Thursday night's adoption of a report detailing the transgressions and recommended sanctions in the National Assembly on Thursday night.
The report recommends that EFF leader Julius Malema, EFF Chief Whip Floyd Shivambu, Godrich Gardee, Mpho Ramakatsa, Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala, and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi be suspended without pay for 30 days.
Fellow EFF MPs Elsabe Louw, Ngwanamakwetle Mashabela, Nthako Matiase, Hlengiwe Maxon, Magdalene Moonsamy, and Andile Mngxitama, are to be suspended for a fortnight.
Eight more EFF MPs were ordered to submit a verbal apology to the House and were fined an equivalent of 14 days' salary and allowances.
"Suspended members are prohibited from entering Parliament or from participating in any activity of Parliament or its committees without written permission of the Speaker," Parliament said in its statement.
"They are also not entitled to any allowances under the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act for the duration of their suspensions."
EFF spokesman Ndlozi could not immediately confirm whether MPs had received the letters of suspension.
Earlier, Ndlozi said the EFF would turn to the courts as soon as the letters were served on the party's MPs.
"The EFF will be approaching the court for an urgent interdict against Parliament's illegal decision to suspend its leadership," Ndlozi said in a statement.
"Parliament has not issued letters of suspension to the EFF MPs yet, and thus the EFF awaits these letters in order to file court papers."
The party has indicated it will not tender any apologies for the August 21 incident in which President Jacob Zuma's question time in Parliament was disrupted when EFF MPs chanted: "Pay back the money."
They were referring to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's report which stated Zuma should pay back a portion of the R246 million spent on security upgrades at his private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.
"The EFF reiterates that it shall never apologise for asking Jacob Zuma as to when is he paying back the money," Ndlozi said.
"Furthermore, the EFF remains very proud of its MPs for restoring teeth to parliamentary executive oversight."
Ndlozi said the party was confident a court would find the disciplinary process leading up to the suspensions procedurally unfair.
"We shall approach the courts because we believe that in front of a sober judge, with no Luthuli [House] mandate, and an uncontrollable ambition for promotion for a ministerial job, our action will be vindicated," he said.
"The court will confirm that the EFF went through a kangaroo court in serious violation of principles of natural justice."
Sapa
