De Klerk an unexpected focus for EFF as SONA is brought to a halt

In an unexpected turn of events, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) moved from raising issues about Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to requesting Parliament to remove former President FW de Klerk from Parliament.

The former state President recently admitted that apartheid was not a crime against humanity.

Leading up to the State-of-the-Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the EFF had threatened to disrupt the SONA if Ramaphosa did not fire Gordhan.

But on the day, that was not the punch they pulled, much to the surprise of many, demanding that De Klerk not be allowed to sit in the House, accusing him of being an “apartheid apologist.”

However, Speaker of Parliament Thandi Modise ruled against the EFF’s submission to remove De Klerk from the House.

Speaking in Parliament ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State-of the-Nation Address (SONA), Modise said that EFF leader Julius Malema’s submission would not sustained.

“This sitting has been called for one item; one item only – to give the president the space to address the nation. It is a convention that all the presidents, former presidents who are still alive are invited to this sitting. The former President De Klerk has been invited because of that. I, therefore, cannot sustain this submission you have made and therefore, rule it out of order.”

Making the submission, Malema referred to De Klerk as a murderer.

“Honourable Speaker, we have a murderer in the house. We have got a man who has blood of innocent people in this house, which is supposed to represent the wills of our people. And therefore, it is incorrect for you to have extended an invitation to De Klerk because De Klerk is a murderer. De Klerk has blood on his hands.

“The people of Boipatong are turning in their graves. De Klerk said that apartheid was not a crime against humanity. It is an unrepentant apologist of the apartheid, who is not willing to accept that apartheid was crime against humanity. Therefore, it is an insult to those who died in Vlakplaas under the instructions of De Klerk to have De Klerk sitting in a democratic Parliament.”

Watch the video below to watch the proceedings in Parliament: 

Modise has also ruled against EFF’s request for Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan to leave the House.

“The Constitution gives every member of this house the right to listen, to debate to ask questions. You want to raise the issue of a Minister during the State of the Nation Address. This is not the platform,” she pointed out.