Opposition parties, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), said that there was no genocide in South Africa and that the government was being targeted for defending Palestine and demanding accountability on Israel.

Speaking at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate on Tuesday afternoon, the MK Party said there was no threat of genocide in South Africa and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to provide decisive leadership.

“There are legitimate cries of historically and presently oppressed and excluded black majority who demand the return of the land and wealth to the ownership and control of the people as a whole and not the privileged few beneficiaries of apartheid and colonialism,” said John Hlophe, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.

“We have an obligation as South Africa to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in doing so, we should appreciate that our sovereignty as a nation should necessarily include the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all African countries.”

EFF party leader Julius Malema did not mince his words reiterating Ramaphosa’s statement that the country will not be intimidated amid US economically and politically targeting South Africa.

“Speaker, we must make it very clear that we should not be confused with a generation of cowards who can be bullied by imperial forces and power-hungry individuals intoxicated by the wealth of apartheid," Malema said.

"The United States of America has bullied nations before, imposed senseless and arbitrary sanctions, and threatened wars. But we are a different generation. We are the generation of Economic Freedom," he said.

“Fighters, and we will not be bullied. We agree with you, President, that we should not be bullied.”

IOL Politics