The DA has renewed its call for National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete not to take part in caucus meetings of the ANC or its activities in parliament.

This follows Mbete's ruling yesterday against the DA's attempt to quiz Deputy President Jacob Zuma about his previous reply in parliament on a meeting with French businessman Alain Thetard and his financial adviser Schabir Shaik. It also related to his statement to parliament's joint ethics committee about payments he received via Shaik, who is currently on trial for corruption in the Durban High Court.

Yesterday Mbete ruled the questions could not be asked as they contravened National Assembly Rule 67 which clearly stated that no MP should refer to a matter before a court of law or an issue that was sub-judice.

Gibson repeated his call last week for parliament to be given back its teeth, by among other things, having a Speaker who was not actively involved in the ANC's parliamentary or political structures. "We said last week that when embarrassing matters happen then the suspicion could at least be there that pressure could then be exerted on the Speaker.

"I am not alleging that is so, I'm simply saying that because of the way we operate here - the Speaker is part of the ANC's committee of 22 that runs the ANC business in parliament - that she is susceptible to people trying improperly to interfere with her decisions," Gibson said.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal and the Cape Argus.