National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise has reiterated that Pan African Parliament, based in Midrand, Johannesburg, is an organ of the African Union and therefore the rules of the organisation must be applied.
The Pan African Parliament has been suspended after MPs again plunged the house into a third consecutive day of chaos. The members clashed over the electoral system with the Southern Caucus pushing for the change to rotational leadership similar to the African Union process, while the Eastern and Western caucuses are against it.
Chaos at PAP today:
Modise was delivering the budget vote of the National Assembly.
She says South Africa is expecting PAP to follow rotational rules.
“We host the PAP as a country we have our members delegated to that house as members of that house we do and do need to take proper interest in the functioning of the PAP, specifically whatever goes wrong on the PAP floor. SA gets the beating whether we are responsible or not and the truth is we have not played our role properly as a host and we are correcting that.”
ANC MP condemns chaos
ANC MP, Bhekizizwe Radebe has condemned the chaos and disruptions. South Africa is the host of the PAP and it has representatives who are members of its Parliament. Radebe says the scenes from Midrand might result in the continent not being taken seriously.
“What has happened there in the PAP was really disgusting and it must be condemned that such despicable behaviour can be shown throughout the whole world. How are the other regions in the world going to take us seriously if we can do this thing to each other?”
Malema calls for AU intervention
Economics Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says the African Union needs to intervene in recent issues raised by the Pan African Parliament (PAP) at Midrand in Johannesburg.
Malema, who was at the session, has described the chaotic scenes as disappointing.
” It’s disappointing. The debate is robust. People have different views. We have suspended the house to go and consult further on these matters. We hope there will be a solution and our proposed solution is to let someone from the AU come and intervene and facilitate the elections. There are two letters from the AU which our colleagues are refusing to adhere to and the dispute is with regard to those letters from the AU. So if someone from the AU can come and give us direction, we all can comply.
