EFF wins battle over sanctions

Following the “pay back the money” incident in the South African National Assembly on August 21, this year by Economic Freedom Fighters, (EFF) members and the National Assembly’s adoption of a report last month by Parliament’s powers and privileges committee, six EFF MPs were suspended for 30 days without pay, six for 14 days without pay, and eight were ordered to apologize to the House and fined 14 days'. Julius Malema, Leader of EFF turned to the courts to fight their suspension from Parliament.

Judge Dennis Davis sitting at the Western Cape High Court today lifted the sanctions imposed on the 20 EFF MP’s suspended from parliament. Granting the urgent interdict sought by the Economic Freedom Fighters, Judge Dennis Davis ruled it would come into effect immediately.

Davis said, "These applicants are not aggrieved employees. They are public representatives who represent at least 6.35 percent of the electorate... they are paid to represent their constituents.

"Failing to pay them is not only hardship to themselves... but weakens their financial ability to do the job for which they're paid," Davis said.

"Pay back the money” refers to the multi-million rand security upgrades at the president’s private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.