The past few months have provided much entertainment, if not disbelief to the nation, thanks to the Parliamentary Channel.
If you have never heard of the channel before the 2014 General elections, you will be forgiven because before then, nothing “un-parliamentary” ever happened.
I could only watch the channel for a few minutes and then I would have to change it because I could not take the yawns of the Honourable Members as their facial expressions clearly showed boredom.
As I was watching the chaos taking place on Thursday, November 13, I wondered if the Honourable Members really deserve to be called that because there was nothing honourable about their behaviour that day.
If you were among those who watched the parliamentary debate last Thursday, you will be forgiven for thinking you were watching The Jerry Springer show – if you have no idea what I’m talking about, then perhaps it is time to crawl out from under that you are hiding under.
Chaos erupted in parliament that Thursday when ANC MPs objected to motions the opposition tried to bring to delay the tabling of a report on upgrades to the President’s homestead at Nkandla.
Social media was abuzz with people expressing their disappointment at what was happening in our parliament, while others managed to find humour in the chaos that was happening.
Some people blame the ‘new babies’ for causing the chaos and behaving like spoilt brats who want to throw tantrums every chance they get – but I think the ANC is as much to blame for the chaos that erupted in parliament that day.
Firstly, the ANC knows that Julius Malema and his entourage are not there to agree to anything the ANC has to say and secondly, who can blame them?
On the one hand you have a Madam Speaker who behaves like she is dishing out orders to her children and her blood pressure seems to go out of control every time she presides over the House. On the other hand, you have MPs behaving like high school girls fighting over their two-timing boyfriends.
What was the (dis) Honourable Minister Lindiwe Zulu thinking when she signalled to EFF Godrich Gardee that they must take the matter outside after verbally going off at each other inside the National Assembly? I am still waiting for her to come back and tell us she had somehow forgotten to take her medication that day and that is why she lost it like that. Or perhaps the blonde hair has taken a few inches off her brain.
Gardee refused to hear the call and did not emerge from the Chamber; I would have run for my life if I were the man. Who knows if those Honourable Members have started carrying bottle-necks to protect themselves against the revolutionary EFF. A visibly angry Zulu had to be physically restrained by her ANC colleagues. Can someone please find the Honourable Zulu and find out what exactly was she hoping she would do to the Honourable Gardee once they were outside – if not for the good of the nation, then just to satisfy my curiosity.
The way things are going in the House, it wouldn’t hurt much if the ANC dipped a little into the Nkandla budget (if there’s still any left), just to build a boxing ring in the Honourable House for the members to take to the ring when words just aren’t enough to put their point across. The other members of the house can continue with the debate while the two who have issues with each other can beat the living hell out of each other until the they remember what parliament is for.
Gone are the days when gogo’s of the ruling party would go to the House for buffets and fall asleep as other MP’s debated issues affecting the country.
The ANC needs to quickly realise that the National Assembly is no longer a retirement village where all the senior members are shipped off to enjoy their retirement and wait for their dying days.
Now, I know as the citizens of this country we have become accustomed to reading about all the bad. And as much as we do appreciate and love entertaining viewing, can our honourable parliamentarians please remember why they were elected to parliament.
We still have other issues that are keeping us awake at night – like the Teagrin Morris killers who are still at large and our police force which doesn’t seem to know whether they are coming or going with that investigation.
But I will leave it here for now.
@JoziReporter
