Mandela ‘turning in his grave’: Malema fires heated barbs at Ramaphosa

Political party leaders were given the opportunity to scrutinise President Cyril Ramaphosa the day after he gave his Opening Parliamentary Address (OPA).

Although the  Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) had stated their intention to conduct themselves in a reserved fashion during the seventh parliament, it did not stop leader Julius Malema from unleashing a host of verbal strikes on the president.

Reiterating the sentiment of his speech during the previous day’s Progressive Caucus meeting, Malema labelled Ramaphosa a “collaborator” against the liberation struggle.

Hollow appreciation of Madiba

Malema began by going back to 1994, insisting Ramaphosa showed signs of self-interest after that year’s momentous elections.

“When it was clear that President Mandela was not going to make you the deputy president of the first democratically elected government in 1994, you threw tantrums and even boycotted his inauguration,” shouted Malema.

He would later invoke the memory of Madiba again when slamming Ramaphosa for his silence on the situation in Gaza, saying, “Mandela, a close friend of Arafat, should be turning in his grave”.

NDP Vision 2030 “meaningless”

The EFF leader was unimpressed with Ramaphosa leaning on the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030, declaring the goals have never and will never be met.

“All these things you said yesterday are meaningless because it is what you said in the six State of the Nation addresses you have given since you became president. None of the commitments you have made have been met,”

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Malema detailed how the NDP had targets for jobs, unemployment, poverty, infrastructure development and GDP, that not only failed, but in all case deteriorated.  

“More people live in poverty under your presidency than any other period in the last 30 years,” said the EFF leader.

Alarmed at what was not said

The verbal volleys continued as Malema targeted Ramaphosa for what was not in his speech.  

International relations, the situation in Palestine, regional unrest in central Africa, and advances with BRICS and NATO agitating for full-scale war, were all glaring omissions, according to Malema.

Attributing his to the allegiances of his GNU partners, he said, “Even if the global balance of forces does not matter to you, there is nothing tangible you said about the high levels of crime in South Africa”.

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Malema listed several other domestic omissions, before attacking Ramaphosa for a perceived preference for private energy.

“This is evidence that, in addition to selling fictional buffaloes at Phala Phala, you are also a salesperson for Independent Power Producers,” he said.

Calls to reject national dialogue

Malema called on ideologically aligned organisations to reject the GNU.  

He stated that his party would not participate in any national dialogue, suggesting it was pointless to do so after positions and budgets had been finalised.

“We are not in the business of talk shows. We are on an agenda to realise the economic emancipation of our people.”

WATCH: Parliamentary leaders discuss the President’s parliamentary address