Cape Town – A defiant Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota was ordered out of Parliament on Tuesday in a curtain-raiser for a furious row that saw opposition MPs accuse Deputy Speaker Nomaindia Mfeketo and ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga of abusing the rules of the House and stifling freedom of speech.

Opposition MPs shouted “It’s an abuse!”, booed and banged on their desks in a bid to drown out Motshekga as he insisted that President Jacob Zuma had not defied a judicial order to hand over the so-called spy tapes that led to the halting of his prosecution on corruption, fraud and racketeering charges.

Motshekga quoted from the Supreme Court of Appeal’s March order that the National Prosecuting Authority – and not Zuma or his office – make available documents and material that informed the decision.

Lekota is trying to rally opposition party support for a bid to launch impeachment proceedings against Zuma, whose lawyer, Michael Hulley, is refusing to hand over the transcript of the tapes he has had since April 26.

His ejection came after he refused Mfeketo’s ruling that he withdraw his statement last week that Zuma, by defying a judicial order, had failed to uphold the constitution and should be impeached.

Lekota refused to withdraw it on the basis that his court challenge of an earlier ruling by Mfeketo would be heard on November 29.

“It would be tantamount to asking me to withdraw the case I have brought against your ruling in the courts – I cannot do it,” he said

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