By PETER DUBE

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A South African opposition MP has been fined and forced to apologise for missing the country's budget speech because of a sick baby, sparking criticism in several quarters of the country.

Naledi Chirwa of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) did not attend the budget speech in parliament in February because she said she had to attend to an emergency when her baby fell ill.

Chirwa has been the talk of the town in recent days after the EFF MP apologised on social media on Monday for not attending the budget speech on February 21. She said her four-month-old daughter was ill that day.

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The MP's apology came after EFF leader Julius Malema made it clear that members who missed the vote to impeach Western Cape Judge President John Mandlakayise Hlophe on February 21 without "valid reasons" would face the music.

"I regret that I did not attend parliament. My four-month-old daughter was ill, and I went home," said Chirwa.

"My daughter is currently staying with my mother until after the elections. This is to give me the opportunity to fully engage in organisational work during this period and to be part of the collective that will usher in an EFF government after 29 May."

More controversially, Ms Chirwa said she started her maternity leave a day before giving birth and ended it two months before it was due to expire.

Her sin, she says, was that she didn't report her absence to the EFF's parliamentary chief whip, but to the party. According to the MP, this was seen as a failure to follow proper reporting procedures. As a result, the MP said, she was reprimanded for her absence. As a further punishment, she was told by EFF leaders to buy two EFF-branded gazebos before the end of March.

The gazebos cost R5 000 each. "I do not doubt my commitment to the people's movement and the responsibility we have been entrusted with in the South African Parliament," she added.

"This is the main reason why I went on maternity leave the day before I gave birth and returned two months before my maternity leave expired.

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"I will duly comply with the organisation's reprimand for my absence on that day by purchasing two gazebos before 28 March, and secondly by publishing this apology, as I have done. South Africans were deeply divided in their response to Chirwa's apology. Many expressed disapproval that she had put her child's welfare before her parliamentary duties.

Over the past two days, social media has been abuzz with debate, with users questioning the societal pressure on working mothers and criticising the EFF's lack of understanding of Chirwa's circumstances. The party's handling of the situation also drew criticism, with some accusing it of pressuring Chirwa into a public apology that only made matters worse.