Politics

Julius Malema Says South Africans Are Grateful for the EFF’s Existence Following SONA2023 Drama

Friday, February 10, 2023 at 5:39 PM by Bianca Lalbahadur 3 min read

EFF leader Julius Malema said South Africans are grateful for the party’s existence
After EFF Members of Parliament were forced out, Malema said they would go down in history as freedom fighters
South Africans expressed anger over the Red Berets’ behaviour, with many saying Malema is misleading them

PAY ATTENTION: Celebrate South African innovators, leaders and trailblazers with us! Click to check out Women of Wonder 2022 by Briefly News!

CAPE TOWN - Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema praised the party’s Members of Parliament for standing up for the country.

EFF SONA — Members of the EFF were forced out of City Hall for disrupting the State of the Nation Address. Image: Esa Alexander
Source: Getty Images

Malema addressed MPs after being kicked out of the Sona on Thursday, 9 February. EFF members rushed the stage where President Cyril Ramaphosa was seated in City Hall, leaving many outraged.

The Red Berets leader told the MPs that many South Africans were grateful to the party for demanding accountability. He said that while many people may not acknowledge the party, history will remember EFF as this generation’s freedom fighters, according to SowetanLIVE.

Mzansi disagrees with Julius Malema’s remarks

@altaaf_essa said:

“When the first Red Beret stepped on the stage with a wild look and urgency, I genuinely thought we were about to witness an assassination attempt. Scary stuff. Rather safe than sorry.”

@MokuenaDudley commented:

“Deeper and deeper we sink into the abyss... where will it end, failed state maybe. We need a miracle to save us from these current politicians.”

@psychosisLiz posted:

“South Africans are grateful we exist. Wait, what? What drugs is he even on?”

@theresiawysoke1 wrote:

“Malema is patting himself on the back for the childish disruption of Parliament. Whoopy do!”

@Dee0015_ added:

“Malema is misleading everyone, including his party.”

EFF calls for apology after being removed from City Hall

Meanwhile, the EFF called for National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to apologise to the party within 48 hours or face legal action. The party said it would also table a motion of no confidence in her for ordering members to be forcefully removed.

Malema said that the speaker’s response was an overreaction and that he posed no threat to President Cyril Ramaphosa. According to EWN, he also said that having armed officers in Parliament was a threat to democracy.

SONA 2023: EFF calls Ramaphosa a dictator using state to protect him after they got booted from City Hall

Briefly News also reported that The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) released a statement detailing how violently they were kicked out of the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The political party said its members were assaulted in Parliament by a mixture of law enforcement agencies who entered the chambers without being called by the Speaker of National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.