News24.com | AS IT HAPPENED | #SONADebate: Ramaphosa apologises to Malema for ANC MP claims he abused his wife
2020-02-20 15:00
President Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to the debate on his State of the Nation Address following two days of pressure from opposition parties vigorously debating his speech in the National Assembly.
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Ramaphosa says that before Malema made the allegations against him, there were allegations made against Malema by an ANC MP.
Ramaphosa: “Honourable Malema, as the allegation was made against you, I felt for Mantoa, your wife. Because it was uncalled for, I must say. It was improper, it was not correct for it to be raised, and if I can offer an apology to you, about this, I would like to, because it was uncalled for. And Mantoa responded.”
Ramaphosa also mentions the issue of his late former wife, Nomazizi, who is “not here to respond for herself”.
Ramaphosa says issues such as these should not be used and trivialised for political purposes.
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SONA debate: Lamola lays into ‘megalomaniac’ Malema for ‘I’m in charge’ comments
The second of day of the SONA debate ended with Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola lighting up the ANC benches after lambasting EFF leader Julius Malema for claiming he is “in charge” in a democracy.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to respond to the debate on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, following two days of pressure from opposition parties in the National Assembly.
But it was Lamola’s final speech of the day that brought the National Assembly to life just before 20:00 on Wednesday.
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SONA debate: Sonke Gender Justice wants ‘remedial’ action against Mamabolo, Malema
Lobby group Sonke Gender Justice wants “appropriate remedial steps” to be taken against ANC MP Boy Mamabolo and EFF leader Julius Malema for their “politicisation” of gender-based violence (GBV) during Tuesday’s debate on the State of the Nation Address.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Sonke condemned “in the strongest sense of the word, the politicisation of gender-based violence”.
While Malema was speaking at the debate, his one-time friend, Mamabolo, asked him if he abused his wife. But Malema did not answer immediately and continued with his speech. At the end of the speech, he said he never laid a hand on his wife nor any of his previous partners.
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Cele versus the DA: Smallanyana skeletons crop up in SONA debate
Police Minister Bheki Cele laid down the law to DA interim leader John Steenhuisen and the DA-run City of Cape Town, but the party remembered some smallanyana skeletons on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Steenhuisen reiterated the DA’s call that policing be devolved to provincial level during the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“You could have announced that some of the powers of the police will be devolved to provinces and metros in line with international best practice. Because it makes sense for those closest to communities to be tasked with their protection,” he said to Ramaphosa.
On Wednesday, Cele responded when it was his turn to participate in the debate.
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SONA debate: MPs should apologise for using domestic violence for politicking – Lucas
The debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) resumed on Wednesday without the acrimony that characterised it on Tuesday.
The events of Tuesday were not forgotten, though, as deputy chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Sylvia Lucas said in her speech the previous day saw the issue of “gender-based violence being abused for political point scoring”.
She said it was not a matter which can be reduced to politicking and MPs needed to apologise to everybody, particularly survivors.
Given that the scourge of gender-based violence [GBV] is growing, Lucas reasoned that more should be done to fight it and this could only happen if all parties worked together.
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Mamabolo squares up: Bring it on, I will not retract Malema domestic abuse claims
ANC MP Boy Mamabolo will not be retracting his claim made during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) that EFF leader Julius Malema had beaten his wife, telling Malema and his wife he will meet them in court.
Both Mantoa Matlala and her husband, Malema, have indicated they will sue the politician’s one-time friend and comrade, Mamabolo, over his claims of domestic abuse in the Malema household, if he does not issue an apology by Wednesday. The quotes were also run in the Sowetan newspaper, their lawyers said.
Both complaints stated they’re seeking damages of R1m each for defamation of character.
Mamabolo, however, was sticking to his guns.
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Mkhize says MPs ‘went too far’ on domestic violence at SONA
Gender-based violence was used as a weapon to “hurt, throw stones and shoot at each other”, Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities Hlengiwe Mkhize said about Tuesday’s debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Mkhize spoke to News24 on Wednesday and said the developments left her shocked and disgusted.
At the debate, while EFF leader Julius Malema was speaking, ANC MP Boy Mamabolo rose and asked permission to ask a question. Malema took the unusual step of accepting the question during his speech.
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ANC, opposition parties condemn ‘proto-fascist’ EFF in SONA debate
The “proto-fascist” EFF was roundly condemned on Tuesday as their disruptions at the start of Thursday evening’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) cast a pall on the SONA debate on Tuesday.
The debate of at least 10 hours started in the afternoon, introduced by ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude.
She commended Thursday evening’s presiding officers – National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Amos Masondo – for “erring on the side of caution in the face of the utmost provocation”.
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De Klerk’s apartheid denial slammed in SONA debate
The statement released by the FW de Klerk Foundation, denying apartheid was a crime against humanity and only declared as such due to Soviet propaganda, is “unfortunate, insensitive and reckless”, ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said.
On Tuesday, she opened the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), which was disrupted on Thursday evening when the EFF wanted the former deputy president and final apartheid president FW de Klerk removed from the public gallery, where he sat as a guest of Parliament.
The following day, the foundation released a much-maligned statement.
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Domestic abuse claims fly as Malema’s SONA debate speech marred by shouting match
The debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) descended into a shouting match in the National Assembly after an ANC MP accused EFF leader Julius Malema of domestic violence.
As Malema made his way to the podium, following Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, National Council of Provinces chairperson Amos Masondo said the EFF had 42 minutes of the debate allotted to them.
While Malema had 20 minutes on the schedule, he could speak for the whole 42 minutes if he chose. The EFF MPs cheered.
As Malema got into his speech, ANC MP Boy Mamabolo asked him a question. He wanted to know his thoughts on gender-based violence.
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Ramaphosa ‘should have switched off Eskom’s life support’: No punches pulled at SONA debate
After President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his State of the Nation Address last week under the shadow of an under-performing economy, Members of Parliament jostled over whether he was confronted by near-impossible odds or complicit in South Africa’s economic quandary.
MPs held the first day of the SONA 2020 debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon.
Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa failed to capitalise on the optimism at the beginning of his presidency, as economic growth slowed, and direct foreign investment dropped along with tax revenues and employment.
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Steenhuisen: Instead of a new dawn, we have new despair
The interim leader of the DA, John Steenhuisen, has blasted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), describing it as a “defining moment” which he allowed to “slip away”.
“You had all the cards honourable president, and then you went and blew it. You let us down,” remarked Steenhuisen.
MPs are currently debating the president’s SONA which was delivered last week.
Steenhuisen accused Ramaphosa of consistently choosing the ANC over the country, saying he should use his reply to the debate as an opportunity to redeem himself.
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