By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A session of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) descended into chaos on Monday, with a ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina being kicked.
The African leaders were meeting for the election of members of the Bureau of PAP. However, tensions reached boiling point during the election debate as MPs had divided opinions regarding the rotational leadership system.
The incident saw a scuffle ensue after a parliamentary member – Djibril War representing Senegal – tried to kick at African National Congress (ANC) MP Pemmy Majodina.
National Council of Provinces (NCOP) chairperson Amos Masondo was also heard calling for order as some members asked for the police to be called and that the African Union (AU) intervene.
Majodina, who had earlier said she would be opening a case of assault against the Senegalese MP, accepted the apology.
“He was really apologetic and very sorry, and I told him this [would be] a serious case of gender-based violence in SA. You don’t beat up a woman. He has apologised and I have no qualms in accepting an apology, because this was a hot fight and it might happen that I was caught up in that crossfire,” said Majodina.
Explaining what had happened earlier, she said: “I was sitting on my chair. I had been calling for order, saying, ‘Let the house adjourn and call the AU [African Union] to come and intervene and conduct elections.’ As I was doing that I could see there was a scuffle down there. People were fighting physically.”
Majodina said she then saw Djibiril in a scuffle with another MP and approached them to make peace.
I was trying to separate them. It was at that stage that I was attacked by Djibiril, who is the chair of the rules [committee], and he kicked me,” said Majodina.
The chaos started over a debate on rotational leadership instead of direct elections.
A delegation of MPs from the southern and northern regions called for the implementation of the rotational policy, which would see the next leader of the continental parliament coming from these regions.
The East Africa and Economic Community of West African States opposed this, saying it was not part of the rules and rejected legal advice which supported the implementation of the principle.
The outgoing PAP president Roger Dang is from Cameroon. There are allegations that he has been mobilising for a West African candidate to be elected.
Proceedings resumed after a brief adjournment.
Video Courtesy of Parliament.