The ANC has distanced itself from its youth league leader Collen Maine’s comments that the Economic Freedom Fighters “must be given war”.<\/p>\n
“War-mongering talk is an antithesis to the type of society we envisage to build \u2013 regardless of who it comes from,” national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said in a statement on Thursday.<\/p>\n
“Our responsibility and duty as the ANC and all Members of Parliament should be to restore the dignity and decorum of Parliament; ensuring that this very important institution is able to discharge its mandate in an environment characterised by political tolerance.”<\/p>\n
The ANC commended the party’s MPs, who continued to remain composed in the “face of extreme provocation” by the EFF.<\/p>\n
The party called on all its members and supporters to refrain from using language that was inflammatory and\u00a0which could undermine the country’s efforts of promoting and preserving political tolerance.<\/p>\n
Maine on Wednesday told News24 that the time had come for the ANC in Parliament to rise to the occasion and give the EFF “war”.<\/p>\n
“If they want a fight, they must be given war,” he said following the fracas during the removal of EFF MPs by Parliament’s protection staff on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
EFF pushed out<\/strong><\/p>\n When asked if he meant this literally, Maine said “yes”, because the EFF were doing it literally.<\/p>\n Maine called on the ANC bench in Parliament to “rise and approach those people”.<\/p>\n “The ANC must use our majority in Parliament to do what Parliament\u2019s protection services are doing, [but] better.”<\/p>\n News24 asked Maine again to clarify whether he meant that ANC MPs should physically approach the EFF like the protection staff do.<\/p>\n He responded: “Yes, just do that once and for all. We do that one time so we can put an end to those shenanigans.”<\/p>\n During President Jacob Zuma’s question-and-answer session in Parliament, EFF MPs were asked to leave the National Assembly.<\/p>\n MPs resisted and water bottles and helmets flew. At the same time, a group of EFF supporters ran down from the public gallery to support their leaders. The whole group was pushed out of the building.<\/p>\n Violence will be met with violence: Malema<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Watch: Violence erupts in SA Parliament as EFF is ejected \u2013 again<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n ANC to Malema: \u2018don\u2019t say we did not warn you\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nMore on politics in SA<\/h3>\n