The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema denied that party members posed any physical threat to parliament members, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, when they disrupted the Sona proceedings.
Speaking on Friday during a media briefing, a day after the party was booted out of parliament, Malema said what they did as a political party was to merely exercise their freedom of speech, and it would have been irresponsible for them not do to anything when the country is plunged in crisis.
“As elected representatives, we carry the perpetual obligation to represent our people and their disapproval of the direction the country and government are taking, and we cannot and should not wait for elections to do so. It would have therefore been irresponsible and dereliction of duty for us as members of parliament to fold our arms and do nothing during Sona when our country is in crisis,” he said.
Malema further added that what transpired in Parliament was an illustration that South Africa has degenerated into a dictatorship where the rule of law is not respected and applied.
He said the party was also not pleased with how the speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, addressed them when she allegedly called them 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.
“We will therefore be reporting the speaker to the rules committee of Parliament and will, as a matter of urgency, table a motion of no confidence against the Speaker for referring to members of parliament as animals.”
The red beret leader also condemned the usage of police inside parliament, saying it was unconstitutional.
“The invasion of Parliament by members of the SAPS with firearms is a direct violation of both domestic and international rules and principles of how parliamentarians and parliaments should be conducted.”
Malema said through the party’s legal consultation, they have decided to write to the speaker of Parliament to apologize and withdraw that she allowed members of the SAPS to invade Parliament.
-IOL
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