Durban - A DA MP, accused of stepping out to buy alcohol during a parliamentary session, has broken his silence on the matter.
Earlier this week, the DA's Sports, Arts and Culture spokesperson, Tsepo Mhlongo, was accused of going out to buy alcohol.
IOL reported that EFF MP Natasha Ntlangwini raised the alarm with House chairperson Grace Borotho, demanding action be taken against Mhlongo for buying alcohol when he was supposed to be in the House for a session.
According to the report, Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu also joined in and said she wanted to raise an objection on a member of Parliament busy shopping when the House was in session.
But another DA MP Cameroon MacKenzie denied it was Mhlongo and said those who want him to face action must bring a substantive motion.
In a post shared on Twitter, Mlhongo said he was not at a bottle store.
"I would like to clarify the unfortunate incident of my video turning on by mistake on Wednesday during a @ParliamentofRSA seating, for which I unreservedly apologize as it was not intended. I want to put it in record that I was not at Tops as alleged, I was however in a store," he tweeted.
I would like to clarify the unfortunate incident of my video turning on by mistake on Wednesday during a @ParliamentofRSA seating, for which I unreservedly apologize as it was not intended.I want to put it in record that I was not at Tops as alleged,I was however in a store
The DA's Natasha Mazzone has also come to Mhlongo's defence, accusing the media of not reporting on "despicable and sexist behaviour by this male MP and has instead chosen to sensationalise a factually incorrect incident".
She said Mhlongo was at a Pick n Pay grocery store, and an EFF MP’s assumption he was in a TOPS liquor store has now falsely been accepted as fact.
"Due to the unprecedented outrage directed towards Mr Mhlongo, he has now been forced to go as far as to compile an affidavit to prove that he was not in a liquor store. The DA in no way justifies Mr Mhlongo not being fully attentive while being on the virtual sitting. It is for this reason that Mr Mhlongo was duly reprimanded before the Party’s parliamentary caucus, where he apologised for the offence that he has caused to the public," she said.
Mazzone added that the DA was "deeply disappointed and disturbed by the media sensationalising this incident without interrogating the facts".
IOL