Members of the EFF and MK party walked out of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s question-and-answer session in Parliament on Thursday, amid renewed tensions over the Phala Phala scandal.
The session, held at the Nieuwmeester Dome in Cape Town, saw repeated interruptions as opposition MPs challenged the legitimacy of the proceedings in light of ongoing impeachment processes.
The controversy comes a week after the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ruled that Ramaphosa should face an impeachment committee over the Phala Phala saga, in which $580 000 (around R9.6 million) allegedly hidden inside a couch at his Limpopo game farm was stolen in February 2020.
The president has since stood firm, insisting that he won’t resign and has instead opted to take the Section 89 panel report – which found that he has a case to answer – on review.
Parliament session dominated by Phala Phala controversy
As the Q&A session commenced, MK party chief whip Mmabatho Mokoena-Zondi raised a point of order, objecting to the continuation of proceedings while impeachment processes are underway.
“We cannot continue to legitimise his presidency,” she said.
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza responded by indicating that she was still considering correspondence from the MK party regarding a proposed motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa.
“Honourable members, you have written a letter in respect of a matter you would like the house to debate. As you know, that cannot happen today,” she said.
“Today, we have only got questions to the president,” Didiza added.
EFF chief whip Notando Nolutshungu also raised objections, escalating tensions.
“We cannot sit here and listen to someone who does not respect the constitution,” Nolutshungu said.
The speaker urged MPs not “jump the gun”, pointing out that parliamentary processes tied to the ConCourt ruling were already underway.
“That matter doesn’t arise now,” Didiza said.
Watch Ramaphosa’s Q&A below:
An ANC MP pushed back against the criticism directed at the president.
“The Constitutional Court has not found anything negative against his Excellency, the president,” the member said, much to the dissatisfaction of some quarters.
“Sit down!” someone shouted.
MPs walk out
As tensions escalated, the speaker moved to suspend the discussion and warned MPs of possible removal from the venue.
However, heckling continued.
“Honourable members, can you be in order. I have ruled and have sustained the order in terms of what we are here to do in this house,” Didiza said.
“You are out of order! You are doing what they did in 2022. You are protecting a constitutional delinquent, someone who could be a criminal!” MK party’s Visvin Reddy yelled.
EFF and MK party members then exited the chamber while singing.
“Honourable members of the MK, you are actually causing disorder. Can the sergeant at arms assist the members to go out,” Didiza remarked.
Impeachment committee process
In the wake of the ConCourt ruling, a formal impeachment committee process is now being initiated in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution.
The structure of the committee has been finalised at 31 members, drawn proportionally from the 16 political parties represented in the Parliament.
The arrangement follows discussions held in the chief whips forum.
Political parties have since been formally requested to submit the names of their nominees by 22 May 2026.
Under the agreed formula, the ANC will have nine representatives, the DA will have five, the MK party will have three and the EFF will have two.
The rest of the parties – including the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Patriotic Alliance (PA), ActionSA, Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), United Democratic Movement (UDM), United Africans Transformation (UAT), Rise Mzansi, Build One South Africa (Bosa), African Transformation Movement (ATM), Al Jama-ah and National Coloured Congress (NCC) – will have one member each.
The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and GOOD Party have been excluded entirely.
