KZN government demands accountability after Speaker assaulted in legislature chaos

Political parties in the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity are calling for swift accountability following an assault on Speaker Nontembeko Boyce.

The incident occurred in the provincial parliament on Monday after Boyce presided over a failed vote of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli.

READ: MK Party's no-confidence motion against KZN Premier Ntuli fails amid chaos

As proceedings adjourned, members of the MK Party allegedly barricaded the doors and blocked the chamber exits, preventing officials from leaving.

Speaker Boyce reported that she was physically prevented from exiting the House and was subsequently manhandled and assaulted by members of the MK Party. The situation escalated to the point where unarmed members of the Public Order Police and Boyce’s personal security details had to enter the floor to extract her safely.

Premier Thami Ntuli expressed his outrage at the incident highlighting the hypocrisy of the attackers regarding Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

“It is very unfortunate. People preach the gospel about Gender-Based Violence but they commit it in broad daylight in front of everyone in the legislature. That is quite unfortunate—there have to be consequences. Be rest assured, there has to be consequences,” said Ntuli.
The DA's Francios Rodgers also condemned the chaos.
“This type of behaviour cannot and should not ever be condoned, and we will ensure that as the Democratic Alliance and part of the provincial unity that there is consequence in this particular case.”