Malema and supporters storm legislature

[caption id="attachment_41901" align="alignright" width="405"] MAKING A POINT: Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, surrounded by his supporters, has a heated exchange with a police officer after he and members of his party forced their way into the Gauteng legislature yesterday. Picture: MOELETSI MABE[/caption]

JULIUS Malema and a band of angry supporters stormed the Gauteng legislature yesterday.

They wreaked havoc in the legislature after overpowering police who were guarding the building.

Unlike a few weeks ago, when they controlled and then threw out MPLs of the Economic Freedom Fighters from the legislature, police were unable to stop Malema and his supporters.

After a march which started in Braamfontein, about 100 EFF supporters broke through a detachment and entered the building. Malema led the charge and held the legislature door open while his supporters entered.

Police then regained control and locked the doors.

Once inside, Malema told his supporters they were there to stage a sit-in, charging that if a police officer laid a hand on one of them, "everyone must respond".

Police were forced to fire teargas as other EFF members began banging on the door of the legislature to get inside.

The EFF were marching against Gauteng legislature Speaker Ntombi Mekgwe's ruling that EFF MPLs could not enter the legislature while wearing red overalls and other party regalia.

Earlier in the day, Malema, with his supporters singing outside the legislature, refused to meet a delegation sent to address them. "We want to see the speaker. We want her to take our [MPLs] back," he said. Earlier this month he said EFF members would physically force their way back into the legislature. - Fhumulani Khumela