Chaos as MK Party member collapses amid scuffle after motion of no confidence in KZN premier fails

The MK Party’s motion of no confidence in KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli failed amid high drama in the legislature on Monday.

First, MK Party and EFF members broke into a series of struggle songs for more than 20 minutes in protest against speaker Nontembeko Boyce’s ruling that the vote should be conducted openly.

They were then ejected for the disruption.

After more than an hour’s delay, order temporarily returned to the house following Boyce’s meeting with whips of the parties in the legislature, and the members were allowed to return.

However, after their return, members of the two parties resumed singing and were joined by MK Party members in the public gallery, including Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla and MK youth league leader Qiniso Cibane, when Boyce reiterated that voting would be done openly.

She eventually announced that voting would start, and everyone sitting down would be counted as voting against the motion, while those standing at their designated seats would be counted as supporting the motion.

The motion failed when all 40 members of the governing coalition — the ANC, DA, IFP and NFP — remained seated, leaving only the 39 members of the opposition standing.

Chaotic scenes then broke out between police, who were called to restore order, and members of the two opposition parties.

MK Party members were seen blocking Boyce from leaving and attempting to block police from entering the chamber, resulting in a scuffle.

Water bottles were thrown at police during the scuffle.

MK Party member Ntombi Beatrice Zama Cele collapsed during the commotion and was treated by paramedics.

Earlier, Bonginkosi Mngadi, MK Party chief whip, called for a secret ballot, saying there were threats against members.

Mngadi read out one of the messages allegedly sent to party member Musa Mkhize by an anonymous person on Monday morning.

“We’ve heard that you’re behind this motion to remove us. You must wear protective gear wherever you go. We cannot allow you — Mngadi, Dirks, Magubane and Mkhize — to starve our children. You should know that you’re digging your own graves.”

Fellow MK Party member Sello Magubane confirmed members received threats.

Mngadi read out the number the message came from and confirmed that they have opened a case. He demanded that voting be done through a secret ballot to protect their members and anyone who may wish to vote in their favour.

However, Boyce was not convinced by the party’s motivation for a secret vote.

She said the party’s concerns were noted but highlighted that all the members who were mentioned in the message had participated openly in the debate, thus making their stance public.

She said the importance of transparency and public accountability in the legislature, by avoiding conducting proceedings “under the cover of secrecy” as much as possible, was another factor she took into consideration in her ruling.

“I’m unaware of anything that suggests that violence or any other threats prevail at this time in respect to these circumstances, beyond the normal political tensions inherent in a democracy, which may prevent members from exercising their vote in this motion in accordance with their conscience in a normal procedure.”

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