Siyabonga Mkhwanazi
The ANC in Parliament has urged the ethics committee to take action against EFF leader Julius Malema for inciting his members to kill by removing the government through the barrel of a gun.
In a letter, dated April 26, to the ethics committee, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu called for the ethics committee to rein in the EFF leader.
He said his comments were a call for war, and this was not acceptable inside or outside Parliament.
Committee chairperson Amos Masondo could not be reached for comment yesterday. The committee is expected to discuss the matter as it has been reported to it.
Mthembu said in the letter that Malema had openly said the EFF was ready to take up arms against the government.
This followed his widely publicised comments on Al Jazeera a few days ago, when Malema said they were ready to remove the government through the barrel of a gun. Mthembu said it was clear Malema was inciting his members to commit murder.
This is against the law, and it must be looked into by the ethics committee, he said.
“I, therefore, following from the above, do request the committee to investigate and make findings on whether by inciting his followers to commit murder, the MP did breach sections and Code of the Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests for Assembly and Permanent Council Members,” Mthembu wrote.
However, he listed various sections of the ethical code for MPs that Malema may have breached.
The EFF leader has also been charged by the ANC in Johannesburg for treason after the comments. Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and his State Security counterpart David Mahlobo confirmed the criminal investigation against Malema. Nhleko said the Hawks were on the case, but would not list the charges.
During a Freedom Day protest to Parliament by civil society, church leaders condemned the war talk by the EFF leader.
Church leaders said this would destroy the nascent democracy built over sacrifices and blood of the heroes who died in the Struggle.
In the budget votes this week ANC MPs also condemned Malema.
Connie September, chairperson of the joint standing committee on intelligence called on all state security agencies to investigate Malema’s comments.