Poloko Tau @City_Press #Mandela 11 December 2013 16:50
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has taken to Twitter to defend his party against suggestions that its members were booing President Jacob Zuma at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service at the FNB Stadium yesterday.
In a reply to his followers who engaged him on Twitter earlier today, Malema said: “I’ve taken responsibility at all times for our action. The booing at FNB Stadium belongs exclusively to the ANC.”
He tweeted again: “We have seen people in ANC colours booing. Whatever you have against the EFF should not blind you please.”
His comments come in the wake of suggestions that EFF members had been responsible for booing Zuma. However, several media reports said Zuma was booed by a general crowd who were also making gestures suggesting a change or substitution when Zuma’s presence was acknowledged by ANC deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Sowetan newspaper reported that police had thrown out members of the rowdy crowd. City Press journalist Lesley Mofokeng saw a group of presumably EFF members in red T-shirts and signature red berets “disappear”. They were promptly replaced by mourners in civilian clothes.
Attempts to get hold of Malema, who said on Twitter yesterday that he was following the memorial proceedings on television, were unsuccessful.
He tweeted at about the same time Zuma was booed yesterday: “The writing is on the wall, the defiant spirit of Madiba continues to speak to us.”
Despite the EFF’s well-documented dislike of Zuma, party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the party was not responsible for what had happened at the stadium claiming it was, in fact, “ANC members (who) were quoted in the media saying they will continue to boo” Zuma.
Ndlozi referred to several media reports which he said made it “clear that the booing (was) non-partisan”. He said any suggestions that EFF members booed Zuma was “scapegoating in the public arena”.
Meanwhile, Ndlozi said Malema was planning to attend Mandela’s funeral in the Eastern Cape on Sunday.
He said today the “commander-in-chief was expected to be in Qunu” for the funeral.
Labels: ANC, ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS, EFF, JACOB ZUMA, JULIUS MALEMA
posted by MrK @ 6:29 PM
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