I recall watching live sittings of Parliament back in the 1990s and early 2000s, where my folks and I would look out for the ministers falling asleep during what was essentially a very boring and laborious, albeit important, series of discussions.

Those days died with the Zuma administration and the birth of the EFF.

Now a sitting of Parliament is often a wild and unpredictable event that can go from calm to chaotic in a matter of minutes, with disruptions from the EFF, MPs walking out, and fights between rival politicians.

At present, due to COVID-19, these meetings are happening virtually, heralding in its own unique brand of mishaps.

A recent gathering was briefly interrupted when a video of DA MP Tsepo Mhlongo allegedly walking in a liquor store, past a trolley of what appeared to be bottles of alcohol, flashed onto the screen, reports TimesLIVE, in the middle of African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe’s question to police minister Bheki Cele about the Hawks.

If Mhlongo was hoping that nobody noticed his shopping trip, he was wrong.

The legs in the liquor store appear close to the start of the video, so it’s best to watch from the beginning. Things then get spicy at the 39-second mark when EFF MP Natasha Ntlangwini calls him out:

This is almost as bad as that time an Independent Development Trust official thought it would be fine to attend a Zoom meeting in nothing but his shorts.

Let’s take in a recap of MP Ntlangwini’s point of order:

“Tsepo Mhlongo was busy within Tops. Can we please ensure that this comrade gets out of the liquor [store] and comes to the work of Parliament because the guy’s in Tops as we speak,” she said.

“It is ridiculous that some of us make time and others are just in Tops and drinking wines. It’s improper; it’s ridiculous. We can’t be reduced like this,” added Ntlangwini.

Naturally, this started an uproar, with other MPs, including home affairs deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza and social development minister Lindiwe Zulu, calling for disciplinary action. Then ACDP chief whip Steve Swart called for action against Mhlongo because he disrupted his leader.

Really, he should have just shopped online. Far simpler.

Cameron MacKenzie of the DA leapt to Mhlongo’s defence saying that the allegations were unsubstantial, and that a motion should be brought before the house.

The video will now be studied and sent to National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise’s office for her to take a decision.

The whole thing derailed what looked like an important discussion.

Trust South African politicians to lose the plot in Parliament even when they aren’t in a physical building together.

[source:timeslive]