/ 23 October 2007

Boycott at KZN legislature after chair-throwing

The Inkatha Freedom Party and the Democratic Alliance on Tuesday boycotted a sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) legislature in Vryheid. The boycott follows an incident on Monday when chairs were thrown during the sitting of the legislature, which is being held as part of the KwaZulu-Natal government's policy of ''taking the government to the people''.

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Tuesday boycotted a sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) legislature in Vryheid.

The boycott follows an incident on Monday when chairs were thrown during the sitting of the legislature, which is being held as part of the KwaZulu-Natal government’s policy of ”taking the government to the people”.

DA caucus leader Roger Burrows confirmed that the party had boycotted Tuesday’s session of the provincial legislature and would not be attending the rest of the legislature’s sessions in Vryheid this week.

The DA’s Radley Keys, in a statement issued late on Tuesday, said the DA had ”exercised its right of protest against the provincial legislature for non-implementation of multiparty agreements reached seven weeks ago”.

He said: ”The DA will continue to oppose the abuse of power and lack of accountability to the public by the African National Congress-led provincial government.”

He said the agreement reached seven weeks ago would ensure that ”the executive is held accountable, even at these public parliament sessions”.

The IFP said it would not take part until provincial minister of transport Bheki Cele had apologised for ”invectives directed at the IFP president Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi”.

The IFP’s caucus leader, Lionel Mtshali, also demanded a ”private apology” from the speaker of the parliament, Willies Mchunu.

A joint statement issued by the DA, the African Christian Democratic Party and the United Democratic Movement read: ”We are embarrassed by the chaos that erupted in the interactive session on Monday October 22, which reflects negatively on the integrity and dignity of the house.”

The Mercury newspaper reported that Buthelezi’s daughter was struck on the head by a chair on Monday ”when a sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature ended in a fracas, with chairs being flung into the air”.

News reports indicated that the two parties, the IFP and the ruling African National Congress, had become involved in a spat over service delivery to the Zululand district municipal area. — Sapa