Friday, 13 June 2025.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemns the unlawful eviction of our permanent representatives, Honourable Carl Niehaus and Honourable Virgill Gericke, from the Joint Standing Committee on Defence meeting on June 13, 2025, by cochairperson Honourable Phala (ANC). This act, a flagrant violation of parliamentary rules, democratic principles, and transparency, seeks to silence the voices of our members. We condemn this injustice in the strongest terms and demand a public apology from Honourable Phala for his authoritarian actions and immediate action to address this affront to democracy.

The incident arose when Honourable Niehaus and Honourable Gericke raised legitimate concerns about a presentation by Armscor, the procurement arm of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). They questioned whether any slides were restricted or confidential and how such content would be handled in a public meeting broadcast on media and Parliament’s social media platforms. Armscor’s Chief Executive confirmed a restricted slide, prompting our members to seek clarity on addressing this issue, given past instances where presentations were altered during delivery, raising concerns about transparency and potential concealment of information.

Instead of engaging these valid points, Honourable Phala refused to allow our points of order, violating parliamentary rules that require chairpersons to permit and rule on such matters. His actions, marked by bullying tactics, aimed to stifle scrutiny of Armscor and SANDF, institutions plagued by allegations of maladministration and corruption. Honourable Phala’s repeated disregard for parliamentary rules, compounded by his conflict of interest as a former SANDF member, undermines his impartiality as co-chair.

The meeting descended into further chaos due to Honourable Phala’s mismanagement. Honourable Chris Hattingh (DA) improperly attempted to rule on Honourable Niehaus’s point of order, an action impermissible under parliamentary protocol. Similarly, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Honourable Richard Mkhungo, overstepped his executive role by attempting to preside over the meeting and insulting our members, breaching the separation of powers and parliamentary decorum. These actions by Honourable Hattingh and Honourable Mkhungo exacerbated the disorder and attacked our representatives’ democratic rights.

The EFF views this incident as part of a broader ANC pattern to cover up corruption, particularly in SANDF procurement processes. Armscor’s history of mismanagement and corrupt practices has been repeatedly shielded by ANC-aligned individuals like Honourable Phala, whose bias is well-documented. Prior concerns raised by Honourable Niehaus about Honourable Phala’s conduct were ignored, as co-chairs failed to place the matter on the committee’s agenda, reflecting a culture of impunity within ANC-led governance structures.

The EFF will not tolerate this assault on our members’ commitment to exposing corruption and ensuring accountability. The unlawful eviction of Honourable Niehaus and Honourable Gericke underscores their fearless dedication to a transparent, corruption-free SANDF. Their questions about the Armscor presentation were essential to safeguard the public’s right to know, particularly after Armscor confirmed restricted content. Honourable Phala’s refusal to engage suggests an intent to protect vested interests and conceal maladministration.

In response, the EFF will lodge a formal charge against Honourable Phala with the Parliamentary Ethics Committee for his unlawful and biased conduct. We will write to the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairperson of Chairpersons to address this gross violation of procedure, demanding a full investigation into Honourable Phala’s efforts to shield the ANC from scrutiny. We also call for an urgent review of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence’s processes to ensure transparency, including measures to prevent last-minute presentation alterations and ensure full disclosure of materials.

To strengthen oversight, the EFF will push for stricter protocols mandating advance justification for restricted or confidential materials and timely communication of any presentation changes. These measures are critical to prevent information manipulation and uphold Parliament’s constitutional mandate.

We commend Honourable Niehaus and Honourable Gericke for their principled stand against corruption. The EFF remains resolute in our fight for a transparent, accountable SANDF and will not be intimidated by the ANC’s attempts to protect corrupt networks. We call on South Africans to condemn this attack on parliamentary democracy and demand an end to the ANC’s culture of secrecy. The EFF will continue to expose those responsible for maladministration within Armscor, SANDF, and other institutions until justice is served.

ISSUED BY ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Sinawo Thambo (National Spokesperson) 072 629 7422

Thembi Msane (National Spokesperson) 061 467 8169

Andiswa Madikazi (Parliament Media Liason) 069 516 4924

Thato Lebyane (Media Inquiries) 078 563 1581