A plenary sitting in the National Assembly took a dramatic turn when the GOOD party’s alleged sex and booze scandal was used to settle political scores on Tuesday.
The sitting, focused on the 2022 budget declaration, got heated when DA MP Samantha Graham Maré fired a salvo at GOOD party leader Patricia De Lille cautioning that the party should sweep before its own door.
This scandal is in relation to the party’s costly campaign for the Witzenberg by-election that was reportedly marred by booze, skinny-dipping and sex parties.
The scandal stem from an exclusive article published by the Weekend Argus on Sunday.
Apparently, gehoerdery is un-Parliamentary language, despite it being a direct quote. pic.twitter.com/U6I6z2cIfr
The campaign cost the party R200 000.
GOOD volunteers, who were part of the campaign, wrote 18 detailed statements describing how MPL and national campaign organiser Shaun August and Witzenberg deputy mayor Felicity Klazen, both married, spent their time “sexing” and “partying too much” instead of rallying for votes. Volunteers also described acts of “gehoerdery” (acts of fornication).
“While the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is absolutely central to the functioning of government at every sphere, it has been beset by problems, scandals and disasters over the last three years,” Maré said in the National Assembly sitting.
She added: “Under the leadership of Minister Patricia De Lille, the DPWI has lurched from the Beit Bridge washing line debacle to the destruction of our National Assembly by fire.
“From the ongoing battles between the Minister and the Director-General of the Department, Sam Vukela, who has spent over 2 years on paid suspension.
“To the failure of the Minister to address the claims of abuse and sexual harassment at the South African Council for the Architectural Profession.”
Maré further stated: “It seems that under her leadership, both her department and her party are in crisis.
“At every available opportunity, Honourable Brett Heron has demanded that the DA act with transparency in investigations, appoint external investigators and widen the scope of the current investigation dealing with sexual harassment claims against a DA leader.
“And yet, in dealing with the allegations against a GOOD MPL and a GOOD deputy mayor of sexual harassment, skinny-dipping in front of party members and acts of gehoerdery, we are required to be satisfied with a blanket claim of the confidentiality of their internal processes.
“To quote the Honourable Heron, ‘The hypocrisy is astounding’.
“At least the members of the Minister’s party now have a use for the washing line – it seems it is needed to air GOOD’s stinking panties.”
Maré was reprimanded by the chairperson Cedric Frolick.
“I wish order,” said an angry Frolick.
“I want to call the honourable members on the use of language, even if you quote an outside source, you cannot bring it into the house,” he said.
“The language is inappropriate.”
As previously reported, the GOOD party is set to appoint an external investigator to probe the claims.
“The GOOD Party’s National Management Committee has resolved to appoint an independent investigator to get to the bottom of allegations of misconduct by members that marred the party’s performance in a recent by-election,” the party announced in a statement Tuesday afternoon.