uMkhonto weSizwe Party considers legal action after chaotic vote in KZN Legislature

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature was shaken on Monday, as the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) voiced intentions to pursue legal action against the Speaker of the KZN Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce. The controversy erupted during a motion of no confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, where the Speaker ruled that the vote would be public, contrary to the MKP and its ally, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who demanded a secret ballot.

Following Boyce’s ruling, the Legislature witnessed a swift and tumultuous turn of events; members of the MKP and EFF erupted into chaos, shouting, singing, and banging on tables in protest. Reports indicate that police were summoned as tensions escalated, culminating in what appeared to be a water bottle being thrown towards Boyce.

MKP KZN Chief Whip Bonginkosi Mngadi claimed that the Speaker had breached parliamentary regulations, saying that legal recourse was now necessary. “The situation was abnormal. If you throw a bottle at the police and it slips, then obviously, it was not the intention to do that,” he remarked in defence of the protestors' actions, attempting to downplay the chaos that unfolded.

However, not everyone was sympathetic to this perspective. Political commentators and leaders from other parties condemned the behaviour exhibited by the MKP and EFF. Mkhuleko Hlengwa of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) labelled the actions as “unacceptable”, describing them as a direct attack on democracy as they undermine the principles of constitutional democracy and the respect due to governance institutions.

Francois Rodgers, the DA's KZN Leader, expressed disgust at the violence erupting in the Legislature, noting that physical confrontations culminated in both the Speaker and the Legislature secretary being assaulted when the House was ultimately adjourned. The DA vowed to consider filing criminal charges against those involved in the uproar.

The ANC KZN also echoed this sentiment, stating, “An attack on the Speaker is an attack on the authority, dignity and independence of the Legislature itself.” It further encouraged Boyce to pursue formal charges for assault, given the severity of the incident in a nation grappling with gender-based violence.

As the dust settled, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba expressed alarm over the violent scenes, noting that such contempt for governmental institutions is detrimental to democracy. “Democracy means that when no single party can form a government, those parties that do come together to form a coalition and command the required majority become the government, and violence can never be the answer,” he stated.

The EFF’s KZN leadership and Boyce’s spokesperson, Aphelele Ntumbu, had not responded to requests for comments at the time of publication, leaving questions lingering as to how this tumultuous episode will impact the ongoing dynamics within the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.

IOS