News24.com | PICS | EFF kicked out of KwaZulu-Natal SOPA as premier announces 'war room' to deal with power crisis

Police and security remove EFF members at the KZN State Of The Province Address at Oval Cricket Stadium, Pietermaritzburg, on Friday.

• The EFF was kicked out of the KwaZulu-Natal State of the Province Address after causing a ruckus in the middle of proceedings.
• Its members raised several points of order, saying Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube lied to the National Assembly last week.
• Dube-Ncube highlighted several issues in her speech, saying unemployment in KZN was a serious issue.

The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal was kicked out of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) after calling Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube a liar.

EFF KZN chairperson Mongezi Twala interrupted the premier's speech on Friday, saying she lied to the National Assembly last week when she told the House President Cyril Ramaphosa had committed R1 billion for flood victims.

Twala said the monies had not yet come and people in KZN were still reeling from the flooding in April 2022.

"She lied under oath, so today we cannot be addressed by a liar. Our people are still wondering around, they are still languishing in halls.

"But this member goes there and lies, and we cannot be addressed by a liar. Who said she must go there and lie representing this House? We must suspend this session and get someone honourable to address this House, not Nomusa Dube."

Shortly after the interruptions, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini was escorted out of the sitting.

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Speaker Nontembeko Boyce then instructed Twala and another EFF member to sit down.

"In spite of my rulings you continue to disrupt the sittings, you are thus showing contempt and are disregarding the authority of the presiding officer. Your conduct is grossly disorderly. I order you to sit down."

After failing to stop disrupting the House, security officials and the police then began removing the EFF members, despite some minor resistance by some MPLs.

Unemployment plaguing KZN

In her formal address, Dube-Ncube said unemployment in KZN sat at 30.6%.

She added the province's expanded unemployment remained one of the highest at 46.4%, "as more people are discouraged from finding work opportunities".

Dube-Ncube said KZN's economy, which has struggled under the pressure of Covid-19, the July unrest and April 2022 flooding, witnessed growth in the third quarter of 2022.

"It bounced back from the doldrums of the 0.4% second quarter contraction, to a 0.9% expansion in the third quarter of 2022."

She also addressed concerns of the ordinary citizen after canvassing the public on pertinent issues affecting them.

"We hear the anger and frustration among our fellow citizens. They want answers on delayed projects, they want answers on jobs, business wants a conducive environment to trade and invest.

"Civil society is calling for partnerships with government. We are attentive to people with disabilities, farm workers and farm dwellers, the military veterans, women, and the youth. We get it as your government, and we are committing to taking decisive action to address your concerns."

Dube-Ncube said the province was also establishing an energy "war room" comprising the government and its strategic partners "to oversee the province's response to [the] electricity crisis".

"By the end of March 2023, KwaZulu-Natal will appoint a panel of energy experts to coordinate and help accelerate the implementation of the KZN energy master plan.

"We are accelerating the rollout of rooftop solar panels to households in the province in line with the pronouncement by the minister of finance."

She added building standards would be reviewed to ensure new houses were fitted with energy saving equipment, saying it would become a standard for RDP houses to be fitted with solar rooftops.