Malema slams ‘clowns’ and ‘sellouts’ after chaotic land debate

EFF leader Julius Malema took to Twitter on Monday night to dismiss his party’s critics at a debate about land expropriation without compensation that was hosted at Unisa on Monday.

The debate was attended by representatives from different political parties and academics, but was marred by hackling and scuffles from audience members whenever a speaker said something they disagreed with.

Anyone who was not aligned to the ideologies of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was heckled during their address. Andile Mngxitama, the leader of Black First Land First (BLF), who has also been vocal about land expropriation without compensation, however, managed to deliver his speech without interruption.

ALSO READ: Scuffles break out during land expropriation debate

Malema then later said on Twitter that his long-time critic and former colleague in the EFF, Mngxitama, was a “clown” who was only being legitimised by being allowed to debate with the EFF. He claimed Mngxitama and his BLF were only taken seriously when they mentioned the EFF.

I personally don’t think @EFFSouthAfrica leadership should participate in any debate that involves clowns like Andile Mngxitama because we legitimize them, without them mentioning us, no one listens or take them serious.We should create our own platforms & debate serious thinkers

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) April 30, 2018

Malema’s second-in-charge, Floyd Shivambu, joined in to call their opponents “charlatans, staff riders and tricksters”.

There’s really no need to debate alongside Charlatans, Staff Riders, and Tricksters who forever compromise principle on the altar of political convenience. True Economic Freedom Fighters should create genuine platforms. https://t.co/mFid1vturC

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) April 30, 2018

Mngxitama, however, then issued a public challenge to Malema on Tuesday morning to debate him on “any topic they wish”.

https://twitter.com/Mngxitama/status/991180288251383808

Some saw Malema’s outburst as a sign of him having been “scared” to debate with the BLF, including Mngxitama himself.

https://twitter.com/Mngxitama/status/991071526605668352

JULIUS Malema is scared to debate Andile….the whole EFF is scared 😂😂😂😂😂 what a time to be alive pic.twitter.com/hIL6qFdNbH

— PABLO (@WonderMahlobo) April 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/Mfondiny/status/991074837094334464

https://twitter.com/LindsayMaasdorp/status/991092417230237696

Malema had also dished out blows to political analyst Prince Mashele and ANC national executive committee member and former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola, who was brutally heckled at the debate.

He said they had nothing to offer and Lamola was “the biggest sellout of the generational mission for personal admiration”.

He intimated that something had happened between Lamola and then president Jacob Zuma following Malema’s expulsion from the ANC along with others who went on to start the EFF.

Prince Mashele just like Ronald Lamola have nothing to offer, Lamola is the biggest sellout of the generational mission for personal admiration. I said it before that Lamola is a sellout and I hope one day he will share the details of Nkandla meeting after our expulsion.

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) April 30, 2018

Lamola was stopped from speaking within five minutes on the podium.

After he left the stage, ANC members broke out in a song in protest that brought the seminar to a halt. A scuffle then broke out between ANC and EFF members in the audience.

The first session was chaotic and ended abruptly without going through the question and answers.

Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota was also called a sellout throughout the “debate”.