Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has been met with a social media backlash after visiting the family of 13-year-old Enock Mpianzi, the Parktown Boys’ High School pupil who drowned on 15 January while participating in a water activity at Nyati Bush and Riverbreak lodge, near Brits in the North West.
Various Twitter users have labelled the EFF commander-in-chief an “opportunist” and an “attention seeker”; accused him of using “tragedies to score political points”; and of having “used a family’s grief for a photo opportunity”.
There are also those who have defended Malema’s decision to visit the grieving family, arguing that President Cyril Ramaphosa and other high-ranking ANC members including David Mabuza and Ace Magashule had also visited the family of the deceased, and received no criticism for doing so.
Malema visited the family on Wednesday to offer condolences on behalf of the EFF, as well as legal help.
WATCH: There should have been a headcount, Malema tells Mpianzi family
The EFF leader “conveyed his condolences and also made a commitment, on behalf of the EFF, to assemble a legal team that will assist the family to probe the circumstances that led to Enock’s passing”, a tweet from the party said.
The Citizen reported on Wednesday that Malema told the family on his visit that there should have been a headcount on the pupil’s return from the activity.
Malema stressed that Enock’s disappearance should have been identified “with immediate effect,” as there remained “no clarity as to why it took so long [to find him]”.
“The resort and school have neglected the school children. Someone needs to take responsibility.”
At the time of publication, EFF spokesperson Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi had not responded to requests for comment on accusations that Malema’s visit was opportunistic.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)
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