Reaction to EFF slap and assassination claims makes Malema feel misunderstood

Julius Malema took to Twitter on Friday night to tell his supporters not to “spend too much time explaining” themselves “to people who have made it their business to misunderstand us”.

He added that you “can’t explain the revolutionary act to counter-revolution”.

While his tweets weren’t specific, judging by recent events as well as his reaction to them on Twitter – where he RTed supporters justifying EFF MP Marshall Dlamini slapping a plain-clothes police officer after Sona – they are a reaction to the scepticism shown by Twitter, as well as parliament, after the party released a statement defending Dlamini’s actions as “necessary self-defence” after the party learned of an alleged plot – involving the police in league with right wingers – to assassinate the EFF commander-in-chief.

Fighters don’t spend too much time explaining yourself to people who have made it their business to misunderstand us; you can’t explain the revolutionary act to counter-revolution. #EFFRedFriday #EFFRedFridays2019

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) February 8, 2019

The EFF released a statement calling the slap  “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”.

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