The Economic Freedom Fighters’ leader Julius Malema has been kicked out of Parliament once again. Mayhem erupted when Malema accused Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa of murdering the slain Marikana miners.
The House has been privy to some enthralling encounters since the EFF walked into Parliament, and question time with the deputy president proved no different. Ramaphosa, who is the leader of government business in Parliament, evidently had it coming.
“Why is the deputy president not accepting responsibility for the deaths of the 34 mine workers who died? You killed them because you were driven by your profits,†Malema said in Parliament.
- Watch the exchange here:
Last month, Ramaphosa testified in front of the Farlam Commission, where he made some sketchy remarks about sending the police emails to take “appropriate†action at Marikana, where 34 mineworkers were massacred by police.
If the EFF have their way, Ramaphosa’s time under questioning over his actions at Marikana won’t be over anytime soon.
“You are the one who wrote the emails that instigated the killing of 34 people,†Malema said. “Your hands have got blood of innocent people who died in Marikana … You have to accept responsibility.”
Speaker Baleka Mbete was not impressed and told Malema to withdraw his comments. He refused, and was swiftly backed up by EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu who demanded to know what parliamentary rule Mbete was invoking. Mbete would not back down however and the pair were promptly marched out of the House.
Oh, the dissidence.
