Malema faces backlash over Pravin, Zondo inquiry jibes

EFF leader Julius Malema has received significant backlash for calling Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan “a dog” and referring to the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture as a “Mickey Mouse show”.

Malema was condemned by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, South African Council of Churches (SACC) and social media users.

Addressing supporters protesting outside the venue of the inquiry in Johannesburg this week, Malema said Gordhan was as corrupt as the ANC.

“Our attack on Pravin Gordhan is an attack on white monopoly capital because Pravin is a dog of white monopoly capital.

He also accused Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo of presiding over a commission that was stealing the money of the poor.

The SACC described Malema’s “war talk” as violent provocation.

“This kind of talk, accompanied by sabre-rattling and talk of war and possible bloodshed, on the eve of electioneering, is of deep concern.

“We find it unacceptable that an elected public official can call a person, whether government minister or not, a dog; especially given the connotation of such an expression in African culture,” said SACC general secretary Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana.

Mpumlwana said the commission was the necessary tool, which was recommended by former public protector, Thuli Madonsela, two years ago, to break the state-capture machinery.

“We do not understand how it now becomes a Mickey Mouse show and a waste of money.

“We urge all South Africans to support the Zondo Commission and not have witnesses attacked and intimidated, as that will have the effect of burying the serious wrongdoings that might have been revealed,” Mpumlwana said.

He commended Malema and the EFF for “standing against corruption”.

“We cannot believe that he and his party no longer want to see corrupt practices exposed in a judicial inquiry such as the Zondo Commission.”

Reacting to EFF’s remarks on Wednesday, Gordhan told the state capture inquiry that those who feel they have information on him should use the inquiry as an avenue to submit evidence.

The minister said he was not afraid to face attacks, but that he had an issue with his family being included in the attacks.

The minister said: “Part of what is going on is the descent to racism that we are seeing in this country as a cheap political mechanism to launch attacks,” he said.

The EFF had not responded to questions at the time of publication.