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The Congress of The People wants to express its disgust on the outburst of the ANC Chief Whip, Mathole Motsega. Where there is leadership and mutuality on the part of the Chief Whip, opposition parties return co-operation. However, where the Chief Whip wants to be player and referee, combatant and rabble rouser, he sets the tone in the House. His crazy cries of sexism, his frequent emotional outbursts in the House, his butting in to make speeches not permitted for in the rules, and his intolerance have turned the Assembly into the “kangaroo court” he is accusing others of. Ironically, Angie Motshekga publicly declared, as head of the Women’s League, that a woman could not be President. Where is the sexism coming from?

It is not only opposition MPs who find him irascible but so too do his own caucus members. I strongly suggest that the South African parliament requests the Inter Parliamentary Union to send a panel of three speakers of sister parliaments to observe where the rot in our National Assembly is coming from. Alternatively give Ginwala, former Speaker of the Assembly this task.

Under Motshekga’s the ANC caucus is palpably in shambles and under his watch many committees do not quorate because discipline amongst members of the ANC are not maintained by him. The very low attendance in the House also bears testimony to the weakness of the Chief Whip. All that the former chief whips built up over many years has been damaged in three short years under Motshekga. He also seems free to be able to dip into parliamentary coffers to blow millions on a meeting to curry favour with the President. The Public Protector as well as the Auditor General will certainly have to investigate this fruitless, futile and unsanctioned use of tax payer’s money.

Motshekga should subject himself to an independent enquiry for the truth of the chaos in the Assembly, in contrast to the better managed NCOP, to emerge. The pot is calling the kettle black and it shows.

Mr Lekota is asking for no more than fair play. The COPE caucus is fully behind Mr Lekota because the party was founded to carry out its mandate which is to defend the Constitution and prevent any erosion of the rights guaranteed in it.