'Blade is a menace to freedom, democracy'

The DA has called on SA Communist Party boss Blade Nzimande to be removed from government, saying he was a "menace to freedom and democracy".

The call by the opposition party comes a day after ANC Youth League president Julius Malema also lashed at Nzimande after he expressed concern about factionalist struggles within the league.

DA MP Wilmot James said the country's higher education, of which Nzimande is in charge as minister, would be better off without him.

James' comments come after Nzimande supported government's proposed Protection of Information Bill.

He has also come out strongly in support of the ANC's proposed media appeals tribunal.

"He is not an education minister serving the nation, but rather a commissar throwing his weight around.

"It is something of a political obscenity that a minister responsible for higher education supports the gagging of the media," James said.

He said students must be allowed to decide which courses to take, books to read, ideas to pursue and conclusions to reach without the help of Nzimande.

"It has not dawned on this humourless paragon of higher education that his job is to support and encourage the education of students, to explore ideas wherever they may lead rather than to genuflect to the soulless and dull propaganda of the politically correct."

Nzimande's spokesman, Malesela Maleka, said the DA's attack on the SACP general secretary was "opportunistic".

"The DA hates Nzimande because he represents a different class. We are not going to give them space and comment about their hatred," Malesela said.

He said the SACP will also not entertain the ANC Youth League's attack on Nzimande.

"The less said about Malema the better. His statements are baseless," Malesela said.

The SACP in the Eastern Cape yesterday said it placed its confidence in the alliance's national leadership and the ANC to deal with Malema's attack on Nzimande and the party "with the seriousness it deserves".