DA leader John Steenhuisen tendered an apology during the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday for the unparliamentary language he used during the State of the Nation Address debate. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
DA leader John Steenhuisen tendered an apology during the joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday for the unparliamentary language he used during the State of the Nation Address debate.
Steenhuisen made the apology before National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe mapisa-Nqakula could make a ruling after she indicated that she would view the footage and make a ruling.
He asked to make a personal statement at the start of the proceedings.
“During the course of the debate (Wednesday) I made a gesture that will probably fall foul of rule 52 of the joint rules.
“I wish to apologise to the member concerned and withdraw unconditionally,” Steenhuisen said.
Due to the apology, Mapisa-Nqakula did not go ahead and make a ruling on the matter.
In terms of the parliamentary rules, no MP shall use unparliamentary, offensive, abusive, insulting, disrespectful, unbecoming language or threatening gestures.
Steenhuisen’s apology followed a point of order that was made by ANC MP Zola Mlenzana that Steenhuisen made gestures when Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks was debating the Sona on the podium.
“He is still laughing at that because he is denigrating,” Mlenzana said.
When Mapisa-Nqakula asked Steenhuisen whether he had done what was alleged, he had responded by saying he scratched his head, and then laughed.
This infuriated Mapisa-Nqakula and she commented that Steenhuisen was saying “madness in your head”.
“There are no members that have taken the floor who are mad in this house. You may take it lightly, but actually it is wrong.
“Yes, you are suggesting the member is mad. He is not and he is simply addressing the House and speaking the truth, thank you,” Mapisa-Nqakula had said.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa expressed being “truly hurt” that Steenhuisen had said the Gauteng crime prevention wardens wore clothes from Pep Stores.
“I am one of those who believe that a remark like that is inherently racist because to refer to people like that and say they go buy either shoes where at such shops is degrading, humiliating and demeaning and is racist,” he said.
Steenhuisen caused a stir recently when he said the crime prevention wardens were “untrainable drunkards wearing ill-fitting PEP store uniforms”.
Despite calls made for him to apologise, he has not done so, instead, saying there was overreaction to his remarks and insisting that the wardens behaved like drunkards.
On Tuesday, Gauteng Finance Minister Jacob Mamabolo demanded that Steenhuisen apologise to the crime prevention wardens.
Mamabolo also requested Parliament look into his conduct because they believed that he had violated his oath of office.
“If he does not apologise and withdraw what he said, Parliament should consider taking strong action. To that effect, we look to this House to provide leadership and we wait for feedback to hold him accountable,” Mamabolo said.
Cape Times