Pictures of an MP carried out of the chamber by the security personnel circulating on social and print media tell in part the extent of the problem in Parliament on that day. The social media is still abuzz with comments and debates on what transpired in Parliament. For some the disruptions by some opposition MPs were warranted because they were venting out their anger against an unfair ruling of the Speaker whilst others think that MPs were being unruly and out of order and reminisce on what they sometime see happening in the Parliament of South Africa. There are also debates about how the Speaker could have handled the matter.
I do not want to belabour the reader with what happened as the matter is now public knowledge. However, a summary of what happened is necessary. The bone of contention was a motion on water and electricity which a Member sought to table on urgency in terms of Standing Order 50. However, the Speaker had outside the chamber that morning advised the MP that his office had received Ministers questions on the same matter in accordance with Standing Order 40(A)1 and that preference should be given to the same MP to bring the matter to Parliament as he has approached his office first. Moreover, the Speaker advised that the two MPs discuss on who and how to bring the issue to the House. The discussion between the two MPs was inconclusive. The MP who sought to bring a motion on urgency contended both outside and inside the chamber that he didn’t need the consent of the other MP to bring an urgent motion and that there was no rule that precluded him from bringing a matter simply because there are questions on the same matter before the house. The MP was right. He even further argued, post the incident, that the refusal to let him table the motion because he had not complied with Standing Order 50.1 which requires that an MP wishing to bring a motion on urgency must furnish the Speaker with a written notification and get consent was unfair because he was caused not to comply by the Speaker who asked him to go and consult with another MP.
