Factionalism, verbal fisticuffs and theatrics are not getting SA anywhere

Politicians behaving badly while they're supposed to be investigating endemic police corruption are doing South Africans a disservice. By Marianne Thamm

- Marianne Thamm

Last week, at the parliamentary ad hoc committee on police corruption, it was the turn of EFF and DA MPs Leigh-Ann Mathys and advocate Glynnis Breytenbach to howl at each other across the void.

Breytenbach is a former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor and is viewed as a bulldog of a cross-examiner who goes for the jugular when needs be. Her short, sharp questioning of a shackled, Burberry-wearing Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in Pretoria’s C-Max Kgosi Mampuru prison in November 2025 catapulted her to the top of X’s “trending” list for the day.

Mathys, a founding member of the EFF, is a veteran parliamentarian and, like Breytenbach, gave as good as she got, and got as good as she gave in return. It was like verbal ping-pong.

It all began early on Monday morning, just as members were settling into their seats, when Mathys spoke up, offering an apology for Julius Malema, who was absent.

She informed the sanguine committee chair, Soviet Lekganyane, that Malema was preparing for his appearance at the East London magistrates’ court the coming Friday and apologised for his absence.

Mathys was on a roll; you could tell by her pitch as she went on to speak of Malema’s “weaponised prosecution”.

Breytenbach, until then sitting quietly directly behind Mathys, called out instinctively: “That's not true, you are using this platform for incorrect purposes.” Mathys shot back: “Who asked you to enter?”

“You think I need your permission?” Breytenbach said in a low voice.

Lekganyane looked on, clearly wondering how to intervene before matters escalated. His plea of “honourable members, honourable members!” was drowned out when Mathys warned Breytenbach: “When you comment, don’t think we will not respond. We are not afraid of this white supremacy!”