Arr! South Africa be blockin' those scurvy dogs from crashin' the State of the Nation address! No lefties allowed, mateys!
2024-02-06
Arrr, a South African Court be stickin' to its guns and declarin' that those scurvy leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters be not allowed to attend President Cyril Ramaphosa's State of the Nation address in Cape Town! Avast, their hopes be dashed!
A South African court has upheld a ban on leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from attending President Cyril Ramaphosa's speech opening the new parliamentary session. The ban comes after the EFF leaders were sanctioned for disrupting the event last year. During Ramaphosa's speech in 2023, the EFF members were ordered out of the room by the speaker for interrupting. Instead of leaving, they jumped onto the stage and held up signs calling for Ramaphosa to step down before being forced out by security. This is not the first time the EFF lawmakers have disrupted parliamentary sittings and clashed with security officials.EFF leader Julius Malema, who was expelled from the ruling party in 2012, is renowned for his contentious politics and has been accused of being anti-white and stoking racial tensions. The EFF claims to represent South Africa's Black majority, arguing that they have been failed by the African National Congress-led government and are still economically disadvantaged due to the legacy of apartheid. The party's policies are sometimes criticized as anti-white.
Ramaphosa's State of the Nation Address may include an announcement of the date for this year's national election. The ANC, in power since the end of apartheid, faces the possibility of slipping below 50% of the vote for the first time. This would require the party to form a coalition to stay in government and allow Ramaphosa to serve a second term.
The EFF lawmakers often dress in red industrial work clothes, rubber boots, and hard hats to show solidarity with the working class. Female EFF lawmakers wear uniforms similar to those worn by maids and domestic workers. The court's decision to uphold the ban on their attendance at Ramaphosa's speech highlights the ongoing tensions and political drama in South Africa.