STATEMENT BY MR JH VAN DER MERWE MP
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National Assembly Cape Town: 21 June 2007 Madam Speaker:I wish to refer to a ruling by the Chairperson on Tuesday 19 June 2007 that it is not unparliamentary for a member to wave at other Members of Parliament and then use unparliamentary words. Deputy Minister Jonny de Lange waved at opposition Members saying they are all racists. The Chairperson did not regard that as unparliamentary. On the strength of her ruling I then waved at members at the ANC saying they were idiots. The Chairperson did not regard that as unparliamentary. I have thought about this ruling and I am sure, with respect, that it was wrong. I therefore suggest that the presiding officers look at this ruling and hopefully change it so that in future insults of this nature cannot be hurled at Members. Also, although my statement was not ruled as unparliamentary, I believe was. I therefore withdraw my statement that Members of the ANC are idiots and apologise to the ANC for saying so |