EFF delays Finance Minister's budget speech

Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene's medium term budget speech which was due to start at 2pm has been delayed by calls from the EFF to postpone the speech.

As the disruption was taking place‚ students had gathered at the parliamentary gates‚ threatening to barricade parliament and prevent MPs from leaving.

The EFF's chief whip Floyd Shivambu requested that the budget speech by delayed until the matter of university fees has been resolved.

As MPs bickered and shouted in Parliament‚ students protested outside the gates of Parliament demanding that Fees Must Fall.

Senior ANC MP Thoko Didiza who was chairing the session said she had received written correspondence from the EFF‚ the DA and the IFP requesting an urgent debate of national importance.

The EFF had also written to the Speaker today requesting that the speech be delayed. But Didiza said the rules stated such correspondence needed to be received by noon and the letter had arrived at 1pm.

She said the tabling of the budget did not mean the process was over or accepted‚ as there was still time to engage with the content.

Leader of the opposition‚ Mmusi Maimane said that the "protest outside shows that South Africans are demanding answers" while the Freedom Front Plus called for the speech to go ahead so as not to "waste South Africans' time". - RDM Newswire