EFF leader Julius Malema says even though they fought with Zuma, he never banned the EFF from going to parliament. Image: SABC News
‘Zuma never banned us from going to parliament’: Malema
EFF leader Julius Malema says they hate the EFF for demanding the land back, following the suspension of its members from parliament. .
EFF leader Julius Malema says even though they fought with Zuma, he never banned the EFF from going to parliament. Image: SABC News
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema, has taken a swipe at President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying even though the EFF fought with Zuma, he never banned them from going to parliament.
This comes after six EFF members, including Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu, were banned from parliament for disrupting Ramaphosa during last year’s State of the Nation Address (Sona).
On Thursday, Ramaphosa will give this year’s Sona, and parliament has implemented new house rules to prevent opposition party members from disrupting the President while he addresses the nation.
ALSO READ: EFF slams ANC for ‘vindictive measures’ barring leaders from Sona
‘ZUMA NEVER BANNED US FROM GOING TO PARLIAMENT’ SAYS MALEMA
“We fought with [Jacob] Zuma; Zuma has never banned us from going to parliament.”
“Today, a man that they said is the most democratic man, a transparent man, a man who is not corrupt, has banned the EFF from participating in Sona because he is scared of the EFF,” said Malema.
Timeslive reported that Malema was addressing students at the Mangosuthu University of Technology, where he said the real reason behind the ban was that the EFF demanded land expropriation without compensation.
ALSO READ: EFF members to miss Sona after failed court bid to lift suspension
‘NO MEMBER MAY INTERRUPT THE PRESIDENT’ ACCORDING TO HOUSE RULES
On Tuesday, the EFF suffered another loss when the Western Cape High Court dismissed the party’s urgent application to suspend chapter 2 of parliament’s joint rules, which provide that “no member may interrupt the president while [he is] delivering the state of the nation address.”
“They hate the EFF for demanding the land because they know once you give Africans the land, they are equal with them. They said the EFF is dangerous, disruptive — no, they are fighting the EFF because the EFF is fighting for equality, and they don’t want equality,” said Malema.
ALSO READ: Malema tells Ramaphosa: ‘We need to plan your removal!’
EFF MEMBERS DEMANDED PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA TO STEP DOWN
The other EFF members that are on suspension from parliament are secretary-general Marshall Dlamini and EFF Members of Parliament (MPs) Sinawo Tambo, Vuyani Pambo and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
They were suspended for disrupting the Sona last year when they walked onto the stage at the beginning of Ramaphosa’s speech with placards demanding that he step down over the “Phala Phala” scandal involving millions of dollars found hidden in a sofa at Ramaphosa’s private game ranch.
