EFF MPs force Nzimande to mince his words

19 February 2015 - 02:23 By Thabo Mokone
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande.
Image: Sunday Times

A stern warning by Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema sparked a fracas in the National Assembly last night as the debate on President Zuma’s State of the Nation address intensified.

Nzimande told the House he had “revolutionary advice” for the EFF regarding its “aggressive” behaviour in parliament.

“Do not start a journey that you don’t know where it might end; that’s not revolutionary. Because if the journey ends in a wrong place; we’re actually all in trouble. That’s revolutionary advice, honourable Malema, and we know what we’re talking about. We know where we’ve been in this country. We ask that you behave,” he said amid loud cheers among ANC MPs.

But this only served to provoke anger among EFF’s MPs, who argued that Nzimande had threatened them with violence.

EFF MPs were forcibly removed by state security forces on Thursday last week after they defied National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete’s order to leave the house following their insistence that Zuma must indicate when he would pay back a portion of the taxpayers’ money spent on “uprades” to his R245-million private residence in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.

A visibly angry Malema said he was not scared of Nzimande, the ANC and Zuma.

“There’s nothing we can’t finish, we’ll finish it. We can guarantee you.

“For the next five years this is what will confront you and we’re here. We’re not invited by you; there’s nothing you can do at all.

“Deal with the issues and stop threatening us,” said a raging Malema while ignoring pleas from presiding officer Cedrick Frolic to take his seat.

EFF’s chief whip, Floyd Shivambu, jumped in, demanding that Frolic instruct Nzimande to withdraw the “threat”.

“Honourable chair, I was not issuing a threat,” Nzimande said after returning to the podium. “If, unfortunately, that got interpreted as a threat, that was not my intention. It was advice based on the experiences and the history of this country,” said Nzimande.

IFP chief whip Narend Singh sought to assist Frolic in defusing the heated exchanges.

“Honourable chairperson, we would like to make an appeal, through you, that whether it was intended or perceived, the honourable minister should withdraw,” he said.

It was only at that point that Nzimande withdrew his remark.

Zuma will close the debate this afternoon when he responds to issues raised by MPs over the past two days.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now