ActionSA lodges ethics complaint over Majodina’s foul-mouthed clash with Eastern Cape resident
Has filed an ethics complaint against South African Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina after a profanity-laced exchange with a community m...
ActionSA has filed an ethics complaint against South African Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina after a profanity-laced exchange with a community member in Kouga, Eastern Cape. The party says the minister’s response during a public engagement was a “disgraceful verbal attack” that falls far below the standards expected of a cabinet member.
The complaint comes a day after the incident was caught on video during the launch of an upgraded pump station. In the footage, a community member being escorted out of the venue shouted an insult at Majodina. She fired back in kind. The clip spread quickly online and drew sharp criticism from opposition parties.
“No place for this kind of behaviour”
ActionSA said those in public office must show “dignity, restraint and respect”, and argued that Majodina’s language undermined the office she holds. “The Minister’s use of vulgar and abusive language is completely at odds with the standards of conduct expected of a Member of Parliament and a member of Cabinet,” the party said in a statement on Thursday. “Her conduct undermines the dignity of public office and brings Parliament into disrepute.”
The party added that there is “simply no place for this kind of behaviour”. It said the minister’s reaction was emblematic of conduct that should not be normalised from elected leaders, especially in front of residents at a public event.
Second ethics complaint after DA move
ActionSA is now the second party to take the matter to Parliament’s ethics processes, following a complaint lodged by the Democratic Alliance. The dual action puts fresh pressure on Majodina, whose outburst has quickly become a political issue well beyond the Eastern Cape event itself.
The video shows a tense exchange escalating in seconds. What began as a community confrontation ended with a cabinet minister trading insults on camera — a scene that opposition parties say reflects badly on Parliament and the wider government.
The episode has also revived a broader debate around how public officials respond under pressure in community settings. In South Africa, as in many countries, cabinet ministers are expected to balance political heat with basic discipline. When that breaks down, the fallout is immediate.
ActionSA did not stop at condemnation. “Minister Majodina’s conduct is emblematic of an ar…” the statement said, cutting off in the source material before completing the sentence. The complaint now moves the matter into formal parliamentary territory, where the minister’s conduct will be tested against the rules expected of members of the executive.
