[LISTEN] Malema: Rats probably caused parliamentary fire
EFF leader Julius Malema believes rats living inside the parliamentary precinct may have led to the fire that ripped through the buildings last month.
He made the remarks at a media briefing on Tuesday morning, following the party's plenum over the weekend.
Malema says he has no doubt that negligence led to the blaze.
"That thing is neglected. I suspect that the rats went to eat the wires and these wires came into contact and caused the spark, but because they don't want to take responsibility they go to a homeless man. If that is the case then someone in Parliament must take responsibility because firstly what are rats doing there. The place must be fumigated from time to time.
"There must be rat traps and all manner of things but equally those wires in this day and age should be put inside the tube thing we are talking about. If in the past they were like that with new renovations that are taking place in Parliament permanently and we don't see what they are renovating."
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Malema says Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thandi Modise and National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula must take responsibility.
Parliamentary secretary Baby Tyawa also needs to shoulder some of the blame, according to Malema.
"Because Parliament belongs to the secretary of Parliament. She must fall on her sword. I don't know why she is still secretary of Parliament. You know a person who shows remorse even though there was something wrong that she did she must just say out of respect you had assigned me to look after this space and I did not do what was expected of me.
“Whether it's a technical fault or whatever reason that is going to come at the end, the secretary of Parliament should have resigned by now."
