Cape Town — National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete yesterday rescued Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang from humiliating questions about her theft conviction, but triggered a row that saw Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Mike Waters evicted from the chamber.

Waters's question was included on the printed question paper, but when it came up for reply Mbete said she had ruled it out of order. Waters had asked Tshabalala-Msimang if she was convicted of theft in Botswana in 1976, and whether President Thabo Mbeki was aware of this when she was appointed.

Mbete's ruling drew howls of complaint from the DA benches. DA chief whip Ian Davidson asked on what grounds the question was outlawed.

She said it transgressed Parliament's rule forbidding "offensive and unbecoming" language. The question was clearly designed to reflect on the minister's integrity, and this also broke the rule that allegations against MPs could be brought only through fully motivated substantive motions, and not questions.

Davidson was peremptorily ordered to take his seat when he tried to discuss the ruling with Mbete. When DA veteran Tertius Delport said she could not simply order an MP to take his seat, Mbete ordered him to take his seat. An angry Waters leapt to his feet, demanding to know which words were offensive and unbecoming. He was told to sit. When he refused, Mbete ordered him out of the chamber. He left shouting the proceedings were a farce controlled from ANC headquarters at Luthuli House.

Tshabalala-Msimang stayed seated during the row, looking a bit bemused.

Waters said later: "One has to ask whether the question was withdrawn on the orders of the health minister or the president, or whether the speaker did it on her own initiative.

"If the former, it shows once again that Luthuli House controls Parliament, and Parliament is no more than a mouthpiece of the state, little better than the SABC. If the latter, it shows that Parliament is a damp squib with no backbone to demand that our government conduct itself with integrity and honesty."