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Malema says EFF MPs did not pose physical threat in Parly
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said on Friday it is not true that EFF Members of Parliament (MPs) posed any physical threat to anyone in Parliament, not even President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Malema and fellow EFF MPs were removed from the chamber during Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall.
Malema brifed the media on Friday, where he explained that he did not pose a threat to the President or fellow MPs.
“When we are sitting with the President at the floor of the Chamber he can’t see our hands, no one can see our hands, and they’re not sure if sitting next to him I’ve got a knife or a gun but on the stage my hands were visible, holding a placard. Since when does holding a placard in a peaceful manner constitute a threat,” Malema argued.
He hit back at National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for not allowing further points of order during SoNA and said it was “totally unacceptable, unlawful, unconstitutional, and undermines the democratic culture, mandate and architecture of a democratic Parliament”.
The EFF wants to speaker to tender an apology to the party within 48 hours.
He said EFF MPs were permitted absolute freedom of speech and to protest in Parliament in terms of Section 58 of the Constitution.
“With maximum discipline and in compliance with the Joint Rules [of] Parliament, we as EFF MPs correctly and decisively raised some of the issues that require immediate intervention and attention,” he explained.
He continued to argue that his hands were visible with a placard and that the protest was even more peaceful than when the EFF demanded that former President Jacob Zuma pay back the money.
“. there was no singing, it was just going to be standing on the stage silently carrying placards,” he stressed.
He further claimed that Ramaphosa would have proceeded with his speech in the presence of a protest.
“Because you’re now no longer talking the Constitution, you’re talking feelings so you ought to appreciate that the Constitution allows that. The Constitution encourages a peaceful protest, which is what we did,” he said.
The EFF will report the Speaker to the Rules Committee of Parliament and will also table a motion of no confidence against her for referring to EFF MPs as "animals".
“The Speaker must know that from now onwards, she has declared a war against EFF members of Parliament for referring to us as animals and we will treat her accordingly. Referring to Members of Parliament as animals is against the Rules of the National Assembly and altogether unacceptable,” he said.
SOUTH AFRICA IN CRISIS
Malema went on to unpack Ramaphosa’s announcement of a Minister of Electricity by calling it a foolishly conceptualised Ministry that must be rejected with contempt because South Africa has always had a Ministry responsible for electricity.
Ramaphosa announced that he would be appointing a new Minister of Electricity in The Presidency to coordinate the response to the electricity crisis, which has now officially been declared a “national disaster” with immediate effect.
“South Africa, we are in a crisis! There is no electricity and there is no plan to bring back electricity. South Africa we are in a crisis of unmanageable levels of gender based violence! We don’t have jobs! We don’t have dependable water supply! We don’t have anything,” Malema expressed.
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By PolityEconomic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said on Friday it is not true that EFF Members of Parliament (MPs) posed any physical threat to anyone in Parliament, not even President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Malema and fellow EFF MPs were removed from the chamber during Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address at the Cape Town City Hall.
Malema brifed the media on Friday, where he explained that he did not pose a threat to the President or fellow MPs.
“When we are sitting with the President at the floor of the Chamber he can’t see our hands, no one can see our hands, and they’re not sure if sitting next to him I’ve got a knife or a gun but on the stage my hands were visible, holding a placard. Since when does holding a placard in a peaceful manner constitute a threat,” Malema argued.
He hit back at National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula for not allowing further points of order during SoNA and said it was “totally unacceptable, unlawful, unconstitutional, and undermines the democratic culture, mandate and architecture of a democratic Parliament”.
The EFF wants to speaker to tender an apology to the party within 48 hours.
He said EFF MPs were permitted absolute freedom of speech and to protest in Parliament in terms of Section 58 of the Constitution.
“With maximum discipline and in compliance with the Joint Rules [of] Parliament, we as EFF MPs correctly and decisively raised some of the issues that require immediate intervention and attention,” he explained.
He continued to argue that his hands were visible with a placard and that the protest was even more peaceful than when the EFF demanded that former President Jacob Zuma pay back the money.
“. there was no singing, it was just going to be standing on the stage silently carrying placards,” he stressed.
He further claimed that Ramaphosa would have proceeded with his speech in the presence of a protest.
“Because you’re now no longer talking the Constitution, you’re talking feelings so you ought to appreciate that the Constitution allows that. The Constitution encourages a peaceful protest, which is what we did,” he said.
The EFF will report the Speaker to the Rules Committee of Parliament and will also table a motion of no confidence against her for referring to EFF MPs as "animals".
“The Speaker must know that from now onwards, she has declared a war against EFF members of Parliament for referring to us as animals and we will treat her accordingly. Referring to Members of Parliament as animals is against the Rules of the National Assembly and altogether unacceptable,” he said.
SOUTH AFRICA IN CRISIS
Malema went on to unpack Ramaphosa’s announcement of a Minister of Electricity by calling it a foolishly conceptualised Ministry that must be rejected with contempt because South Africa has always had a Ministry responsible for electricity.
Ramaphosa announced that he would be appointing a new Minister of Electricity in The Presidency to coordinate the response to the electricity crisis, which has now officially been declared a “national disaster” with immediate effect.
“South Africa, we are in a crisis! There is no electricity and there is no plan to bring back electricity. South Africa we are in a crisis of unmanageable levels of gender based violence! We don’t have jobs! We don’t have dependable water supply! We don’t have anything,” Malema expressed.