The EFF blending in on the Sona red carpet, 2019.
Parliament has responded to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) claiming they had received information about a planned assassination attempt on party leader Julius Malema’s life.
The EFF released a statement calling the slapping of a plain-clothes police officer after Sona by an MP believed to be Marshall Dlamini, caught on a video that has since gone viral, “necessary self-defence” after a confrontation with security made them all think “this was the moment” an attempt on Malema’s life would take place.
According to the party, the slapper was reacting to the “white-shirt” – a term for police officers who perform security in parliament – “violently pulling Malema from passing through the corridor doors of the national assembly”, which they say was not caught on camera.
Parliament released a statement calling the incident “shameful”, and has since responded to the EFF’s claims of “self-defence” against an assassination attempt with doubt, adding that even if they did suspect such a plan was being hatched this would not be an excuse for the assault of an officer.
READ MORE: EFF mocked for claiming they slapped their way out of Malema assassination attempt
“Those are very serious allegations,” parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo told eNCA.
“You cannot on the basis of those suspicions have members of parliament who are assaulting the law enforcement officers in the manner in which this officer was assaulted,” he continued.
The EFF claimed the assassination attempt was being planned by “elite members of the police” who are “in collaboration with right-wing groups”.
Parliament are not alone in expressing scepticism over the EFF’s claims. The Citizen reported yesterday that, on social media, the assassination attempt theory was being ridiculed on social media.
(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
