The ANC and the EFF joined other MPs for an induction session at the Old Assembly in Parliament on Wednesday.

It’s just a training session, right? What could possibly go wrong?

We said the same about SONA this year, which went off without a hitch until an EFF member slapped a policeman.

Back to the training session, which gathered everyone together to introduce new and returning MPs to the mechanics of legislating and lawmaking, reports News24.

An induction session at the Old Assembly in Parliament on Wednesday was marred by a confrontation between ANC and EFF MPs and had to be defused by an angry Speaker Thandi Modise.

In a video of the incident, a group of at least seven red-clad EFF MPs can be seen in front of the ANC’s benches pushing other MPs around and waving their arms.

Let’s get a look at that video:

Sigh.

In a characteristically childish he-said-she-said battle, which of the two parties started the altercation depends on who you ask.

DA MP Annelie Lotriet, who chaired the session, said that EFF MP Makoti Khawula had used the opportunity to taunt and attack the ANC.

“She repeatedly attacked the ANC and accused them of electing criminals to Parliament. This obviously led to ANC MPs becoming riled up. When one of the ANC MPs started responding to her, I asked for calm and tried to explain that the purpose of the session is to talk about lawmaking.

“Suddenly another EFF MP, Tebogo Mokwele, jumped up, took the microphone and started shouting at the ANC, ignoring the chair and started marching across to the ANC benches, followed by some EFF MPs. That’s when the fight broke out,” Lotriet told News24.

The Citizen spoke to newly appointed EFF MP Naledi Chirwa, who said that the scuffle broke out after EFF MP Makoti Khawula asked a question that did not sit well with ANC MPs.

“Disclaimer: Mam’Khawula was asking a pertinent question and concern of how public participation should have an impact on bills. ANC members, with arrogance, felt it was okay to silence her. The constituency represented by Mam’Khawula will not be silenced and erased and we sit back.”

[DA MP] Van Damme, however, placed the blame squarely at the feet of the EFF, tweeting “It’s training for new MPs. Training. But the EFF can’t help themselves.”

Here’s Van Damme’s vantage point:

It’s training for new MPs. Training. But the EFF can’t help themselves. pic.twitter.com/AT7SzDYCZc

— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) June 12, 2019

In the end, an angry Modise had to put on the ‘mom hat’ and march onto the floor, separate the parties, and give them a good talking to.

Everyone then went back to their seats to think about what they’d done.

So just another day in South African parliament, then…

[source:news24&citizen]