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Julius Malema removed from South Africa parliament Zuma speech | Julius Malema removed from South Africa parliament Zuma speech |
(35 minutes later) | |
Security forces have removed firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema from South Africa's parliament during a speech by President Jacob Zuma. | Security forces have removed firebrand opposition leader Julius Malema from South Africa's parliament during a speech by President Jacob Zuma. |
Mr Malema and allies from his Economic Freedom Fighters party raised numerous points of order after Mr Zuma began his annual state of the nation speech. | Mr Malema and allies from his Economic Freedom Fighters party raised numerous points of order after Mr Zuma began his annual state of the nation speech. |
The speaker of parliament then ordered that they be removed. | The speaker of parliament then ordered that they be removed. |
The largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, walked out in protest at the removal of the MPs. | |
"You can't send police into parliament," said Democratic Alliance parliamentary leader Mmusi Maimane. | |
Speaker Baleka Mbete did not clarify whether police or parliamentary security officers had ejected the EFF MPs. | |
The opposition said this was an important distinction, with one MP saying the use of police would be a way of intimidating the opposition. | |
Last year, the EFF disrupted another presidential speech, chanting: "Pay back the money". | Last year, the EFF disrupted another presidential speech, chanting: "Pay back the money". |
They accuse Mr Zuma of benefitting unduly from taxpayer-funded upgrades to his private residence in the village of Nkandla and they wanted Mr Zuma to answer questions about this before making his state of the nation speech. | |
The president has denied any wrongdoing. | |
Despite criticism of the Nkandla upgrade and the country's moribund economy, Mr Zuma's African National Congress was overwhelmingly re-elected last year. |