South African opposition leader Julius Malema and five other lawmakers from his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party were suspended by Parliament for a month without pay on Wednesday.
The Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Committee found them guilty of contempt of Parliament for storming the stage during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation address in February.
The speaker then suspended the proceedings while security forces took Mr Malema and other MPs out of the room.
The committee added that “each member must also personally apologize to the Speaker, the Speaker and the people of South Africa” for interrupting the president’s speech and “putting the country in a bad light. ”
” The suspension of the six MPs will last until February next year, meaning Mr Malema and the remaining five MPs will not be able to attend the president’s next State of the Union address, scheduled for February.
This there On Monday, EFF MPs refused to participate in the hearings against them after the committee rejected their request for an adjournment.
Mr Malema also objected to the appointment of lawyer Anton Katz as the initiator of the hearing. “I will not be persecuted by white people,” Mr. Malema said