Complaint laid against Komphela

2008-11-20 20:02

Michael Hamlyn

Cape Town - The Freedom Front Plus has laid a complaint against the chairperson of the sports and recreation portfolio committee Butana Komphela, and his "handlanger" (henchman) Cedric Frolick, accusing them of abusing parliamentary privilege.

"If an MP repeatedly preaches racism and hate and breeds division through that which he says in Parliament - then he is abusing his parliamentary privilege," FF Plus spokesperson, Willie Spies said in the National Assembly on Thursday.

He listed the four occasions on which the two men had abused their privilege.

"A sports administrator was hauled in front of the committee and insulted because, according to the committee, 'he does not care whether black people are killed'.

"The President of SASCOC (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee), Moss Mashishi, was insulted and the management of SASCOC were made out to be a 'bunch of whites and Indians'.

"A Member of Parliament (Spies himself) was insulted by a committee member and accused of 'having a white mentality and Boer manners' - and the chairperson fails to do anything, and finally, yesterday [Wednesday] the honourable Frolick called rugby a 'sport of criminals' and threatens to take away all stadiums from rugby.

Spies concluded: "Chairperson, this is not acceptable."

He said his party was submitting a complaint to the Speaker against these two members for abuse of parliamentary privilege.

"We are looking forward to the result and hopes that an effort will be made to repair the dignity of this institution," he said.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)