The ANC walked out of the Western Cape Legislature on Tuesday in protest against Premier Helen Zille’s refusal to withdraw a comment, the ANC in the province said.

“The ANC left the sitting of the legislature after [deputy speaker Piet] Pretorius gave a different ruling to accommodate Zille,” ANC Chief Whip in the province Pierre Uys said in a statement.

The SABC reported that Zille claimed ANC leader in the Legislature Marius Fransman had deliberately distorted her words in a debate on education. The ANC said this was deemed unparliamentary, but Zille refused to withdraw her remark and threatened to leave.

The SABC quoted her as saying: “It cannot be that we have more freedom of speech outside this house than we have in this house.”

The ANC said that Pretorius would “make known his new ruling on Wednesday morning”. SAPA