The 16 EFF MPs charged over contempt of Parliament did not pitch for their hearing before the powers and privileges committee. Nothing much was said about that, but Tuesday's proceedings were postponed for a day to afford the EFF MPs' lawyer the opportunity to address the committee in the interest of fairness.

On 11 July 2019, EFF MP Sam Matiase walked right up to Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan as he was starting his Budget debate speech. Other EFF MPs followed as opposition MPs stood to protect Gordhan. Parliamentary security eventually arrived to remove the EFF MPs from the sitting.

EFF's 'Fascist Populism' trumped by rare cross-party unity

It's taken 16 months to get here. First, a subcommittee on the physical removal of members from Chamber compiled and adopted a report then submitted it to and adopted in the rule committee that, once approved, submitted it to the National Assembly Speaker, who referred the matter to the powers and privileges committee for contempt of Parliament proceedings.

On Tuesday that looked set to be another Stalingrad legal tactic.

Already the 16 EFF MPs' legal representative fired off five letters between 11 and 24 November, hearing initiator Ncumisa Mayosi told the committee....