Malema compared to Hitler in Parliament

By Thabo Mokone and Jan-Jan Joubert

A debate on the South African Presidency’s budget vote degenerated into chaos last night when Economic Freedom Fighters MPs disregarded parliamentary decorum.

The party insisted on referring to ministers by their first names, threatening to deal with them physically outside the house.

This was after Deputy Minister in the Presidency Buti Manamela insinuated that EFF “commander-in-chief” Julius Malema was a modern-day Adolf Hitler.

Manamela attacked Malema in defence of President Jacob Zuma, who was earlier lambasted by DA parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane and the EFF leader for his “poor leadership” of the country.

Earlier, Malema said Zuma’s ANC should change its “good story to tell” slogan because it only delivered empty promises.

“They should change their slogan to: ‘We have a good drama to tell’. It is indeed drama when a sitting president fails to meet his own deadline on submitting the report on Nkandla,” said Malema.

Maimane urged Zuma to either “lead or step aside” as president.

Manamela accused Malema of being an EFF dictator who was worshipped by his MPs.

“[It] makes me shake in my boots that, here before our eyes. Adolf Hitler has come back from the dead,” said Manamela.

But Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli ordered him to withdraw his statement as comparing MPs to Hitler was unparliamentary.

That egged EFF MPs on to plunge the debate into further mayhem.

EFF MP Goodrich Gardee said he would resolve his differences with Manamela outside the chamber, meaning he was ready for a physical fight.

ANC MP Mandla Mandela told Gardee he was welcome to meet them outside to settle their scores. Manamela and Gardee immediately left the house but they apparently never came to blows.

In the corridor outside the National Assembly, several EFF MPs got into a loud argument with parliamentary officials.

“We are fighters! Where is he? We want to fight!” an angry EFF MP said at the top of her voice.

“I will report you to the speaker!” an unidentified official said.

“Go! Who will believe you?” the EFF MP said.

When the official came back with the police, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi was forced to intervene in the stand-off and managed to calm down the angry EFF MPs.

Ten minutes later they returned inside the chamber. Times Live