ANC asks ethics body to act against Malema for war talk

THE ANC in Parliament has urged the ethics committee to take action against EFF leader Julius Malema for inciting his members to kill by removing the government through the barrel of a gun.

In a letter dated April 26 to the ethics committee chaired by veteran ANC politician Amos Masondo, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu asks the ethics committee to rein in the EFF leader.

He said his comments were a call for war. This was not acceptable in Parliament or outside. Masondo could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The ethics committee is expected to meet and discuss the matter.

Mthembu said in the letter that Malema had openly said the EFF was ready to take up arms against the government. This followed his widely publicised comments on Al Jazeera TV network a few days ago.

The EFF leader said they were ready to remove the government through the barrel of a gun.

Mthembu said it was clear that Malema was inciting his members to commit murder. This was against the law and must be looked into by the ethics committee.

The EFF leader has also been charged by the ANC in Johannesburg with treason following the comments.

Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and his counterpart at State Security, David Mahlobo, confirmed the criminal investigation against the EFF leader. Nhleko said the Hawks were on the case, but would not list the charges.

During the protest by civil society at Parliament on Freedom Day, church leaders condemned the war talk by the EFF leader.

They said this would destroy the nascent democracy built through the sacrifices and blood of heroes.

In the budget votes this week ANC MPs also condemned Malema for his war talk.

The chairwoman of the joint standing committee on intelligence, Connie September, said this must be investigated for the safety and security of the country.

She urged state security agencies to look into the comments.