Discussions in the National Assembly degenerated into something resembling a shebeen brawl on Thursday as MPs heatedly squabbled over the nomination of Kholeka Gcaleka as the new Public Protector.
The Chapter Nine institution has been without a leader since the suspension and later impeachment of Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
The disgraced former Public Protector has since joined the EFF.
On Thursday, the DA, the UDM, EFF and ATM did not participate in the vote, leaving the ANC scrambling to secure the 240 votes needed to secure Gcaleka's position.
IFP president Velenkosi Hlabisa said the ANC relied on its help to exceed the threshold by just four extra votes.
"If you look at the figures, without the IFP the Public Protector would not have been appointed," Hlabisa said.
"But because we are not putting politics ahead of the needs of the nation, we voted yes and we believe the Public Protector will rise to the occasion and work in the interest of the people of SA," said the IFP leader, who replaced the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi as an IFP MP.
The IFP is the fourth biggest party in Parliament with 14 MPs.
Opposition parties were shocked to see the IFP voting with the ANC.
"Some people think that if you are in the opposition you would say no [to endorsing the ANC's nominee]," said Hlabisa. "But the IFP works on principle. Any person from the opposition would have expected the IFP to vote no, but we said yes."
The discussion split MPs with DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach kicked out of the House by Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
Breytenbach suggested Gcaleka was a legal lightweight whose career was boosted by her relationship with the disgraced former director of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Menzi Simelane.
"Her very cosy relationship and some say an intimate relationship with her boss, the rather odious Menzi Simelane, led to speedy promotions and very vocal and active support of his role in the capture of the NPA," said Breytenbach.
Breytenbach, who worked with Gcaleka at the NPA, refused to apologise or withdraw her statement and was booted out of the House.
DA leader John Steenhuisen and party chief whip Siviwe Gwarube led a walkout of DA MPs after declaring a dispute with Mapisa-Nqakula.
EFF MP Mzwanele Manyi also accused Gcaleka of being a puppet of President Cyril Ramaphosa after her report into the Phala Phala Farm robbery cleared him of wrongdoing.
