WATCH: When MPs argued over the use of ‘fokol’ in parly

Parliament never ceases to amaze with the kinds of arguments and insults MPs throw at each other.

In this old video that has resurfaced on Twitter, EFF MP Moses Sipho Mbatha presents his arguments on land redistribution and how it has affected black South Africans when his use of an Afrikaans phrase was questioned, and he was asked to withdraw.

He said: “The House must know that land redistribution lies at the centre of the history of this country, and that white monopoly capital developed as a result of massive exploitation of black people and their displacement from their land.

“Further note that 1994 changed fokol, and that 21 years after the attainment of freedom, many black people are still getting displaced by huge corporations, and they are not getting compensated for their loss.”

DA MP Mike Walters could not help but call out the EFF MP’s use of ‘fokol’, and an exchange between deputy speaker of parliament Lechesa Tsenoli and EFF MPs ensued.

“I don’t know if I heard the honourable member correctly, but the honourable member just swore in the House and should withdraw that,” said Walters, insisting on not repeating the phrase.

Tsenoli asked Mbatha what language he had used, to which he replied it was Afrikaans for “nothing”.

“Honourable member, ah no, man, I’ve just said earlier on that none of these motions must contain offensive language,” said Tsenoli, further asking Mbatha to withdraw.

EFF MP Mogamad Nazier Paulsen stepped in and tried to explain in Afrikaans that the word did indeed mean ‘nothing’ and was not in any way offensive.

“Nee nee, dit beteken nie niks nie,” said Tsenoli.

Mbatha still refused to withdraw and said the only thing he would withdraw was his “understanding of the word, fokol“.

Watch the hilarious video below: