Thursday’s events in Parliament were an attack on democracy, the ANC said after yet another sitting was adjourned amid shouting.

“Incidences such as the ones witnessed today are an attack on our democracy and our constitution which props it up,” said ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa.

“They are also not sustainable and render the proper functioning of Parliament difficult. Exercising oversight over the Executive and representing our people cannot and should not mean enmity and chaos.”

President Jacob Zuma was supposed to have answered prepared questions in Parliament on Thursday but the EFF insisted on repeating its question on when he would pay back money spent on upgrades to his home in Nkandla.

Zuma, who also heads the majority ANC, leaned back in his chair and watched the showdown as parties vied for microphone time on points of order, and heated verbal exchanges flew across the benches over whether the EFF was entitled to go off-programme with its question.

Proceedings were adjourned once for party chief whips to meet to discuss the way forward but the shouting started again soon after proceedings resumed.

After repeatedly trying to bring order to the House, Speaker Baleka Mbete, who came under fire for appearing to be biased toward the ANC which she chairs, called it a day and adjourned proceedings.

The ANC appealed to all MPs to hold Parliament in high esteem, and for it to be able to hold the executive to account. News24