UPDATE: ANC’s campaign for Nelson, not Winnie, enrages Malema

EFF leader Julius Malema has, in a tweet sent on Wednesday morning, accused the ANC of sexism, saying they have reduced the role of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela to one of insignificance because she is a woman.

Even in death, her party continues to reject her, reducing her role to be insignificant because she’s a woman. All big airports must be named after males and the small ones after women because their role was so insignificant, according to the logic of the @MYANC. We reject that!

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) June 6, 2018

This follows the ANC embarking on a campaign to have the Cape Town International Airport renamed the Nelson Mandela International Airport.

This comes a week after The Citizen reported the EFF had been lobbying for the airport to be renamed after Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

In a tweet, now deleted, the party’s official Twitter account, @MyANC, posted this picture:

The ANC have launched a campaign to see Cape Town International renamed after Nelson Mandela. Picture: Twitter.

https://twitter.com/AdvBarryRoux/status/1004279023567032321

READ MORE: The poor can’t eat an airport sign

Despite the Twitter account deleting the tweet, people have saved the picture, and are taking to Twitter to criticise the ANC for the campaign. Some have accused them of copying the EFF, while others feel that the party has honoured Nelson Mandela sufficiently already and should be looking at other names.

The EFF’s official account did not mince words in a series of tweets condemning the ANC campaign.

EFF rejects ANC's proposal that Cape Town International Airport be renamed to Nelson Mandela. This comes as a direct counter proposal to EFF's name of Mama Winnie Mandela. ANC proposes that instead, the name of Mama Winnie Mandela must be given to domestic airport in Kimberly

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 6, 2018

Elevating Winnie Mandela's name to an international airport is not only reaffirming the sacrifice she paid with her life, but also the role women in general played in our liberation. #AirportNameChange

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 6, 2018

WATCH: Cape Town airport name change debate erupts in chaos

"yes you can have my homework but don't make it too obvious" pic.twitter.com/cadcFuGJUF

— The Instigator (@Am_Blujay) June 6, 2018

This is the reason the ANC people suggested to name Cape Town Int after Nelson Mandela cause Julius had suggested Winnie Mandela's name. Bunch of non thinkers. https://t.co/J4OE7fxAvc

— Register To Vote ✊🏾 (@EFFexplained) June 6, 2018

Really ANC? Nelson Mandela? Might as well name this country the Republic of Nelson Mandela. https://t.co/lSHluinbIm

— Te Amø (@TSHlAMO) June 6, 2018

A public meeting at Cape Town International Airport on Monday to discuss the renaming process descended into chaos and had to be scrapped.

An organisation called Gatvol Capetonian have stated that “Krotoa” or “Saartjie Baartman” are the only acceptable names, and there “will be war if another name is chosen”.

READ MORE: Malema, EFF step up quest for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela airport