ANC rubbishes report it wants new parly rules to protect the president

Johannesburg - The ANC on Sunday disputed a Sunday Times story alleging that the party's chief whip wanted a new parliamentary rule to protect its president.

The story made a "wild and baseless claim" that ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu wanted to change Parliament's rules to protect President Jacob Zuma from abusive MPs, before his next visit to the National Assembly.

"This is blatantly untrue," spokesperson for the chief whip's office, Moloto Mothapo, said in a statement.

Mothapo said existing parliamentary rules already dealt with disruptive conduct and it was therefore inconceivable for the chief whip to call for a new rule.

However, he said Mthembu had written to the parliamentary rules committee asking it to ensure the existing rules were enforced.

Mothapo said he would lodge a formal complaint with the press ombudsman over the article next week.

During his question session in the National Assembly on September 13, opposition MPs hurled abuse at Zuma. EFF leader Julius Malema called him a "criminal" and a "thief". Zuma complained and threatened to stop coming back if the abuse did not stop.