Fur flies during debate on State of the Nation Address

EFF MP Omphile Maotwe to President Cyril Ramaphosa:

“Mr Ramaphosa, why don’t you rather keep quiet and go look after your Ankole [cattle] in Phala Phala?”

ANC MP Cameron Dugmore, ­referring to this week’s conflict on X between the MK party’s Floyd ­Shivambu and Duduzile Zuma-­Sambudla:

“The implosion of the MKP has begun: the Twitter war amongst unelected leaders is going on.”

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, responding to DA chief whip George Michalakis’s criticism of the NHI:

“His level of anger was so much that I felt pity for him. Jy moet ’n sielkundige gaan sien [You must go and see a therapist].”

Female EFF MP to ANC NCOP MP Tidimalo Legwase, when Legwase’s phone rang while she was on the podium addressing Parliament:

“I think she might want to answer that phone call. It might be Helen Zille telling her which direction her speech must go.”

EFF MP Sihle Lonzi to Human Settlements Minister ­Thembi Simelane, who was moved from the justice portfolio after Daily ­Maverick and News24 exposed a questionable loan she took from VBS Bank:

“Perhaps she doesn’t know that, Minister, there’s a shortage of over 500,000 [student] beds in South Africa. You don’t just resolve it by taking money from VBS and buying yourself a coffee shop.”

MK deputy leader John ­Hlophe, on the GNU:

“The former liberators have joined the oppressors in the oppression of our people.”

Agriculture Minister John Steen­huisen, when asked by an MK MP if he would take a question from the ­party while on the podium:

“No, I wasted nine years [under the Zuma administration] listening to this stuff in the House.”

EFF leader Julius Malema to Ramaphosa, referring to lofty promises made in previous Sonas:

“You have not returned with the speed train or the smart city.”

Also Malema, referring to the 2024 Sona, in which the President told the story of an imaginary character called Tintswalo, who enjoyed a wonderful life in ­democratic South Africa thanks to the ANC:

“When you tried to tell us the story of Tintswalo in 2024, we told you right then [and] there, you were talking about a Tintswalo who does not exist. The real Tintswalo was born in a shack, raped at age nine, dropped out of school before reaching Grade 7, and was murdered while looking for a job. That’s the Tintswalo we know.”

Read more: Ramaphosa the peacemaker soothes fiery Parliament in Sona response

ActionSA chief whip Athol Trollip to the ANC, ­referring to potential US sanctions:

“FAFO” [f*ck around and find out].

ANC NCOP MP Mpho Modise, in a veiled reference to the MK party’s Shivambu:

“This chap was known to have played a key role in the collapsing of Venda Building Society, otherwise known as VBS. Then in August 2024 he moved to Kwa­Zulu-Natal, and suddenly Ithala [Bank] is experiencing problems. I don’t know if this is a coincidence.” DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.