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The second of day of the SONA debate ended with Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola lighting up the ANC benches after lambasting EFF leader Julius Malema for claiming he is “in charge” in a democracy.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to respond to the debate on his State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday, following two days of pressure from opposition parties in the National Assembly.

But it was Lamola’s final speech of the day that brought the National Assembly to life just before 20:00 on Wednesday. While EFF MPs were on their best behaviour on Wednesday, Lamola laid into them.

EFF leader Julius Malema accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of abusing his late wife. He was asked to leave Parliament on Tuesday during the SONA debate after refusing to withdraw the remark. Referring to Malema’s performance the previous day, in which he declared “I’m in charge”, Lamola said: “Honourable Malema stood here and held a spectacular monologue in full view of South Africans. In his monologue, he seems to think he is in charge and that the world revolves around him. This is just a figment of his imagination in the fantasy of his militarised world. You cannot be in charge in a democracy. The people are in charge.”

He accused Malema of suffering from a political disease of megalomania and said: “The political disease of megalomania does not care about the colour of a suit or overall you are wearing. “It is clear that in the corridors of the EFF, it is Malema’s way or the highway.”

“The minority cannot govern the majority through anarchy. Our constitutional democracy allows the minority to contribute through persuasion and superior logic. The tendency of holding the majority at ransom through disorderly efforts is the greatest exhibition of autocratic tendencies which thrive in the party.

“Those who make the loudest noise must never be allowed to drown the voice of reason.”

Throughout most of Lamola’s speech, Malema glared at him. At the end of the speech, the ANC broke out in song in honour of the late Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder, Joseph Shabalala.

The continuation of the SONA debate on Wednesday was free from major disruptions from the EFF.

The red party delayed the SONA last Thursday. The start of the SONA debate on Tuesday was also overshadowed by allegations of domestic abuse from ANC MP Jacob Boy Mamabolo and EFF leader Julius Malema. — Sapa