The Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Honourable Thamsanqa Ntuli, today, during the Debate on the State of the Province Address, extended an unconditional apology to the Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, and to all women across the province for the abuse and attacks the Honourable Speaker endured on 15 December 2025.
The people of KwaZulu-Natal witnessed, first-hand and in full public view, the consequences of disorder and instability caused by certain Members of the Legislature. The events were not merely a disruption of proceedings; they constituted a direct affront to the authority of the House and the constitutional values it embodies.
The Leader of the Legislature, the Speaker, a woman entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of democratic processes, was subjected to conduct that no public representative, and no woman, should ever be forced to endure.
“That day served as a stark reminder of what is at stake. It revealed the dangers of lawlessness, the erosion of respect for democratic institutions, and the consequences of leadership that places confrontation above responsibility. As representatives of the people, we must reject such conduct unequivocally and choose a different path, a path of stability, mutual respect, and disciplined governance,” said Premier Ntuli.
The Premier emphasised that the people of KwaZulu-Natal expect leadership that unites rather than divides; leadership that protects the dignity of public institutions and safeguards the democratic order upon which the province’s collective future depends.
Premier Ntuli further underscored that the experience of the Honourable Speaker reflects a broader societal challenge faced by many women and girls across the province.
“What our Honourable Speaker experienced on 15 December 2025 is what thousands of women and girls in our province endure, verbal abuse, bullying, and, in far too many instances, physical assault and even death. For this, on behalf of the Government I lead, the people of KwaZulu-Natal, and men of goodwill, I unconditionally apologise to the Honourable Speaker and to all women of our province,” concluded Premier Ntuli.
The Premier reaffirmed the Provincial Government’s commitment to upholding the dignity of women, strengthening respect for democratic institutions, and ensuring that such incidents never occur within the Government of KwaZulu-Natal.
ENDS
ISSUED BY KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
