South Africa’s National Assembly on Thursday adopted measures which would see disruptive MPs physically removed from the Parliamentary precinct should they refuse orders by a presiding officer to leave the chamber.

The interim changes to the Parliamentary rule book spell out what happens when MPs are booted from the House by a presiding officer, but refuse to leave, as was seen in June when President Jacob Zuma’s question and answer session was cancelled when Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MPs refused to let him speak, unless it was to answer questions on when he was going to pay back a portion of the R246-million spent on his private Nkandla homestead.

The EFF was the only party to object to the rule changes on Thursday – insisting that it would interfere with MPs’ rights right to freedom of speech.

“We stand here as the EFF to reject with contempt the proposed removal of MPs physically for something they say with their mouths,” said EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu before the party called for a vote on the matter.

The EFF found itself outnumbered, with 307 MPs voting in favour of the new arrangements, while only 16 voted against them.