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Fist fights over allegations of Zuma corruption

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Fri, 13 Feb 2015, 11:39AM
The altercation between security forces and Economic Freedom Fighter lawmakers (Getty Images)
The altercation between security forces and Economic Freedom Fighter lawmakers (Getty Images)

Fist fights over allegations of Zuma corruption

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Fri, 13 Feb 2015, 11:39AM

Fist fights erupted as unprecedented chaos descended on South African President Jacob Zuma's annual State of the Nation address in parliament on Thursday, with security forces called in to evict radical lawmakers who accuse him of corruption.

It was a landmark setback for Zuma, likely to reignite speculation that he could be dumped as leader of the African National Congress which brought the late liberation hero Nelson Mandela to power more than 20 years ago. The parliamentary showdown had been signalled ahead of time by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, a disgruntled former Zuma acolyte, who has won support with his charge that black majority rule has benefited only government fat cats and their cronies.

EFF members were evicted by a large security contingent when Malema made good on his threats to prevent Zuma from delivering his address until he answered questions about the $24 million of taxpayers' money spent on "security upgrades" at his private residence. The official television feed from parliament focused only on Speaker Baleke Mbete as fist fights broke out between EFF members and the security officials.

The fighting was captured on mobile phone videos and later released -- a minor victory for the opposition after Zuma's speech had been delayed by protests over mobile phone signals being cut off in parliament.

The EFF has just 25 lawmakers in the 400-seat national assembly, but has punched above its weight since contesting its first election last year, appearing to usurp the position of the much larger official, opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Shortly after the EFF's eviction, the DA walked out after demanding to know whether the security officials were police or parliamentary officers warning that police were not allowed into parliament. After the walkout, Zuma resumed his state of the nation address to a partly empty house and a nation stunned by the earlier scenes in parliament.

On a night traditionally reserved for lawmakers to show off their finest frocks or suits, DA MPs all wore black to signal their unhappiness with the state of the nation while the EFF wore their traditional red overalls, hard hats and gumboots to symbolise what they say is their solidarity with the working poor. Around 25% of South Africans are unemployed, according to official statistics, while unofficial estimates put the figure much higher.

At the heart of the upheaval is Zuma's refusal to accept an ombudsman's decision that he should repay some of the public money spent on "security items" such as a swimming pool, amphitheatre, cattle pen and chicken run at his rural home in Nkandla in the eastern Kwazulu-Natal province.

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