Parliament descended into chaos as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa answered questions yesterday (Tuesday)
In scenes reminiscent of former President Jacob Zuma’s appearances in the chamber, a bottle was thrown and two members were expelled for trading blows.
President Cyril Ramaphosa was blameless in the melee that saw members call each other racist and corrupt.
Ramaphosa acknowledged in this first reply that his financial advisers son Andile has done business with a corruption linked firm but hey was satisfied the money has honestly earned.
He assured the house that is his son was guilty of corruption he would personally drive him to jail.
He also assured MPs the national flag carrier South African Airways would not close down, as his Finance Minister Tito Mboweni advocated last week.
Closing to obligate government to damage the discus by immediately repaying the airline’s hefty debt
Answering a question about the threat posed by ethnic chauvinism and narrow nationalism, Ramaphosa’s reply was particularly germane to the pandemonium that had ensued in the house beforehand.
He said South Africa characterizes itself as a non racial democracy and that is what it must be.
“There should never be time and an opportunity where we see each other as black, white and so forth and insult one another. There should never be times like that.We are South Africans. This is what defines us. This is a key hallmark of what distinguishes us and separates us from many many other peoples in the world,” he said.
Ramaphosa said South Africans share an obligation to build a united, non racial, non sexist and democratic society.