Can Zuma be described as a man, EFF MP ponders as colleague is marched from NCOP

Parliament – An Economic Freedom Fighters MP was forcefully removed from the National Council of Provinces on Thursday during President Jacob Zuma's last address in the NCOP - leaving one MP to comment if the president can be referred to "as a man".

This was after the EFF's Emanuel Mtileni, in the middle of his speech in response to Zuma’s speech earlier in the house, referred to “a man as dangerous as a tsunami”.

The MPs and government were debating the theme ”Working together to build on the advances of our democracy for a better life for all”

Mtileni was asked to withdraw the comment which African National Congress MPs felt was directed at Zuma, but he refused. 

NCOP chairperson Thandi Modise asked him to withdraw the comment, or leave the house.

Mtileni instead offered to skip the paragraph that was causing the issue.

Modise then asked the usher to ask Mtileni to leave, and when he refused, she called in security.

He was walked out of the NCOP by four Parliament Protection Services members.

EFF MP Fana Mokoena challenged the ruling, and said there was no proof that Mtileni was referring to Zuma as “the man”.

“This is unfair. There is nothing that says he was referring to the president as a man at all.”