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Johannesburg – Economic Freedom Fighters representatives in the Gauteng provincial legislature were barred from entering the chamber yesterday for being dressed inappropriately, the legislature said.Secretary to the legislature Peter Skosana said the EFF had been made aware its dress code of red overalls and domestic worker outfits needed to comply with the rules.
“As you are aware, we had an incident yesterday (Tuesday) in which members of the EFF had to be forcibly removed from the House as they had not dressed appropriately,” he said.
“It was also indicated in a letter they were sent that members would still have to comply with the rules of the House.”
He said unless the EFF legislature members were dressed appropriately, they would not be allowed to enter the chamber.
That was the only reason they were barred from entering the chamber.
EFF Gauteng spokesperson Omphile Maotwe said: “A huge number of police were in the legislature, and we were refused entry into the House.
“We have since referred the matter to our national office, and they have deployed our commissar for justice adv (Dali) Mpofu to assist.”
Maotwe said Mpofu was in a meeting with police and legislature officials to understand what the problem was.
“We were told we are dressing inappropriately. We haven’t been given any further details at the moment,” she said.
Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe ordered the EFF members out of the chamber on Tuesday because their overalls had the word Asijiki (we will not go back) written on them, which was considered party insignia and thus not allowed in the legislature.
The Star reported that during the scuffle to remove them after they refused to leave, EFF MPL Benjamin Disolwane had his arm broken, and Parks Khaiyane was taken to Milpark Hospital in a “critical” condition.
A third EFF MPL, Mgcina Tshwaku, reportedly had an asthma attack during the commotion. – SAPA.
derick.khumalo