National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise has suspended State of the National Address after Economic Freedom Fighters disrupted President Cyril Ramaphosa for more than an hour, demanding that he fire Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan.
The red berets also demanded former President FW de Klerk to leave the house, accusing him of killing political activists during the apartheid period when he took over as leader of the National Party.
In a series of attacks and points of orders, EFF MPs, led by their commander-in-chief Julius Malema, interrupted Ramaphosa, saying he should take a short adjournment so that he can make an announcement to the nation regarding the future of Gordhan.
Malema says Gordhan has become “untouchable,” because he raised funds in London for Ramaphosa ahead of his 2017 NASREC bid for the ANC presidency.
“If it were Fikile Mbalula or Malusi Gigaba in the same position as Gordhan, they would have been removed already,” he said.
Addressing the media outside the house, Malema said the party had made their point about Gordhan and de Klerk.
“We can’t sit under the same roof as Pravin Gordhan and de Klerk. Cyril Ramaphosa must know that this will be our relationship with him going forward,” said Malema.
ANC’s Zizi Kodwa, addressing the media on behalf of government, said both former president De Klerk and Gordhan are not going anywhere.
He added that Ramaphosa will address the house, even if it’s after midnight.