National Assembly violence a disgrace: Mthembu
ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu has branded last night's events in the National Assembly as disgraceful.
EFF MPs were forcibly removed from the chamber, after delaying President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address (SONA) for more than an hour.
Mthembu says the National Assembly is now characterized by heckling, vulgar language and a lack of debate.
He says the abnormal situation makes it difficult to adhere to the traditional rules of Parliament..
"Saying what happened last night is a national shame is an understatement. It's a national disgrace as well that has characterised, unfortunately, this important House of democratic debate over the past few years," says Mthembu.
Mthembu believes the presiding officers showed admirable patience in the face of EFF provocation.
"The Presiding Officers displayed great restraint, patience and reasonableness - delaying the President's speech for over an hour before correctly ordering the removal of the EFF MPs using our rules," says Mthembu.
He says the EFF's attempts to prevent the President from addressing the nation are unconstitutional.