LISTEN | ‘I suspect rats’ - Here’s who Malema believes is to blame for parliament blaze

EFF leader Julius Malema has come up with a theory about what may have caused the fire that gutted parts of the National Assembly building in Cape Town.

Addressing the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Malema shared his belief that negligence led to the blaze that ripped through the building earlier this month.

He said he believes rats that inhabit the parliamentary precinct ate electrical wires and that caused the spark.

Here is what he had to say: 

“The [building] burnt from the roof and that’s where you have a lot of wires,” said Malema.

“I suspect rats went to eat the wires and these wires came into contact and caused a spark, but because they don’t want to take responsibility they go to a homeless man.

“If that is the case, someone in parliament must take responsibility because what are rats doing there? The place must be fumigated from time to time.”

Malema said if his theory is correct, there should be rat traps and wires should be put inside tubes to avoid future disruptions.

He defended suspected parliament arsonist Zandile Christmas Mafe, saying either National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, her predecessor Thandi Modise or acting secretary Baby Tyawa need to be held accountable for the fire.

“Christmas, with all his sophistication, how can he plan to burn the roof? It is a technical problem and someone must take responsibility, either Thandi Modise, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula or the secretary of parliament,” he said.

“If these two politicians can’t take responsibility, the secretary of parliament must take responsibility because parliament belongs to the secretary of parliament. She must fall on her sword.”

Malema questioned why Tyawa was still secretary of parliament, saying she should have resigned.

“She can’t resign because she is a deployee. She is waiting for them, as a mascot for them, to tell her she must resign,” said Malema.