FF Plus wants Didiza to take steps against Mkhwebane over ‘Indian’ remarks

The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) wants National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza to take action against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Busisiwe Mkhwebane for making racial remarks against members of the Judiciary and two Parliamentary legal advisors.

This comes after the impeached Mkhwebane this week accused individuals of “predominantly Indian descent” of “persecuting” her.

“Arrogance”

Reacting to the dismissal of her appeal in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), Mkhwebane said she was “deeply disappointed and disheartened”.

She claimed Judge Visvanathan Ponnan displayed “noticeable arrogance and dismissiveness” throughout the August proceedings.

Mkhwebane also slammed late former public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, Nazreen Bawa (Evidence Leader), Zuraya Adhikarie (Chief Legal Adviser of Parliament), Hassan Ebrahim (expert witness), Ivan Pillay (Witness), and Fatima Ebrahim (Legal Adviser of Parliament).

ALSO READ: Mkhwebane ‘Indian persecutors’ comments impugn integrity of staff, says Parliament

“Inappropriate”

FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson on justice Heloïse Denner said the “unfounded criticism and racist remarks”  by Mkhwebane were “shockingly inappropriate.”

“The FF Plus sent a letter to Parliament’s speaker, Ms Thoko Didiza, insisting that steps be taken. Mkwebane’s remarks not only discredit the integrity of the people in question but also parliamentary processes and Parliament itself, while she is a member of the institution.

“I, therefore, request that you [Didiza] refer this matter to the Powers and Privileges of Parliament Committee in terms of rule 214(1) of the National Assembly (NA),” part of that letter to the speaker read.

Denner said the FF Plus strongly believes that racism and discrimination have no place in a free and democratic society, and it should not be tolerated, least of all by Parliament.

“Race-bating”

Meanwhile, Judges Matter said Parliament’s ethics committee must investigate Mkhwebane’s “racially motivated attack, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) said the former Public Protectors “race-baiting is a desperate attempt to deflect accountability.”

“The judgment was unequivocal: Ms. Mkhwebane’s appeal was found to be frivolous and without merit.

“Instead of accepting accountability, she chooses to make baseless accusations against individuals of Indian descent, attempting to cast herself as a victim rather than acknowledging the consequences of her actions.

“This behaviour not only offends but reveals a profound lack of understanding of the principles of justice and accountability that should guide our democratic institutions,” DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach said.

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