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Leftists blast out of South African president's address

Friday, 12 February 2016 12:06 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 13 February 2016 12:14 PM ]

Julius Malema, the leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters opposition party speaks to journalists after being ordered to leave the parliamentary chamber during President Jacob Zuma's state of the nation address in Cape Town, February 11, 2016. ©AFP

South Africa’s leftist opposition lawmakers have walked out of President Jacob Zuma’s annual state of the nation address after piling abuse on him over his performance as head of state.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) legislators yelled and heckled for an hour on Thursday before heeding the speaker by leaving the parliament, AFP reported. Outside, the police had to deploy stun grenade to disperse protesters.

South African President Jacob Zuma (C) gives his state of the nation address in the capital, Cape Town, on February 11, 2016. ©AFP

"Zuma is no longer a president that deserves the respect from anyone," party leader, Julius Malema, yelled, while the president had taken to the rostrum.

"He has stolen from us, he has corrupted the economy of South Africa, he has made this country a joke and after that, he has laughed at us," Malema added.

Since its inception three years ago, the party has been contributing to the momentum against him.

The EFF has now turned into a potent platform for attacking the president, criticism against whom has reached its height over his expropriation of public money for private expenditure, the firing of two finance ministers within days late last year, and corruption within his government.

Rand, the country’s currency, took a nosedive after the ministers were shown the door and Zuma stopped short of explaining the reason for expulsions during the address, giving the EFF MPs an excuse to disrupt the speech.

The party has vowed to open an impeachment trial of Zuma.

"He's a man who is in denial and he is a man who lacks leadership qualities. Once we remove Zuma, the people and the investors will begin to have confidence in this country," Malema said.

The EFF has been championing land redistribution and nationalization of the country’s mines as a means of promoting a novel economic outlook.

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