Visvin Reddy speaking at the National Assembly.
Image: Daily Updates ZA/video screen grab
MK PARTY Whip Visvin Reddy was removed from the National Assembly today after disrupting proceedings during a water crisis debate, where he demanded the removal of Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina over alleged service delivery failures.
Reddy had asked President Cyril Ramaphosa for the removal of Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina.
He highlighted that the Government of National Unity (GNU) along with the minister had failed the people of South Africa when it came to the water issue.
“Water in South Africa is in a crisis. It is actually catastrophic. If you look at this petition, it was submitted in October 2023. It is being debated only now,” said Reddy during the discussion of a report by the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation.
He highlighted that residents of Germiston, Ekurhuleni, to date - as was the case two years ago - was still without water and waiting for parliament to do something about it.
Reddy said when he approached Minister Majodina about the water issue, she said that "water was not a problem, and must be left to local government".
“She realised her mistake and from pressure from the MK party, went out to eThekwini this week, in a desperate attempt to try and show that she's assisting them. But the fact of the matter is that she's not assisting them. She's simply playing to the voters, hoping to get votes in the next election.”
He said that Minister Majodina did not meet the people of the community who were facing crisis.
Following Minister Majodina raising a point of order, and Reddy being reprimanded about his behaviour by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Annelie Lotriethe, Reddy proceeded to chant "Phemmy must go", until he was asked to leave.
“You come here and talk about the Constitution. You trample on that Constitution. You spit on that Constitution. That Constitution is not worth the paper that it is printed on simply because of what you are doing to the people of South Africa.
“To those in the country who are crying out for water. We say to you that Pemmy must go, Pemmy must go. Pemmy must go. And to the people of this country who think that the country is falling apart, our message to you is to chant this message that GNU must go. GNU must go, Amandla," Reddy chanted in the National Assembly.
When the POST spoke to Reddy this afternoon, he continued to stand up for the truth.
“I was asked to be removed from the chambers by the deputy speaker, who is a member of the DA, because they were upset that I was highlighting the issues of the minister and the water issues that are still present.
“It irked her and the GNU parties that I brought up the issue of how they have blatantly failed the people of South Africa when it comes to water. I spoke the truth and I will continue to stand up for the truth till the very end,” said Reddy.
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