South African opposition parties walk out

South African opposition parties walked out of a parliament session today, accusing the governing African National Congress (ANC) party of trying to silence critics.

Mbhazima Shilowa, who left the ANC last year to form the Congress of the People party (COPE), said his party and the main opposition Democratic Alliance walked out after the deputy speaker ordered a COPE politician to withdraw a comment about the government leading the country into lawlessness.