Johannesburg – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema’s utterances that his party was prepared to “use the barrel of a gun” to remove the ruling African National Congress government amounts to treason, ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said on Monday.

Kodwa said Malema’s threats were also a violation of the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) charter on ethics code, recently signed by all political parties.

Malema made the remarks during an interview with international television news channel, Al Jazeera, aired on Sunday.

Kodwa said the threats to remove the government were a “clear incitement to people to commit acts of violence”.

“Mr Malema told Al Jazeera that ‘they’ would remove the South African government … through the barrel of a gun,” said Kodwa.

“These remarks are a call to violence, are inflammatory, treasonable and seditious and should be treated with extreme seriousness.

“They also are in clear violation of the Electoral Code and the Charter on Elections Ethics signed by a number of political parties – including the EFF, last week. In signing this charter, parties committed to upholding and promoting Constitutional values, alongside the Elections Code.”

Kodwa called on authorities to investigate the matter and “act against such conduct”.

In the interview, Malema was asked how far his party was willing to go to remove President Jacob Zuma from office.

The EFF leader replied that his party engaged in peaceful protests, and that government sometimes got tempted to respond to protests through violence.

“If need arises for us to take up arms and fight, we will fight. This regime must respond peacefully to our demands and constitutionally,” said Malema.

“… if they are going to respond violently like they did in Alexandra just outside of Johannesburg when people said voting results did not reflect outcomes of votes, they sent the army to go and intimidate our people. We are not going to stand back.

“They beat us up in Parliament and and sent soldiers to places like Alexandra where people are protesting. We will run out of patience very soon and we will remove this government through the barrel of the gun.”

Malema said his party was not scared of the South African army. The remarks have raised concern not only in the ruling party but also among ordinary citizens.

Kodwa said the ANC was calling on state authorities to urgently investigate “this matter”.

African News Agency