EFF leader Julius Malema says he doesn't understand what former president Nelson Mandela once saw in current President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Speaking during a debate on the recent state of the nation address (Sona) in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Malema told Ramaphosa: "We were abused here by an election campaign that saw people like Oprah Winfrey rented and brought here to tell us about how Nelson Mandela wanted you to be president. There is no sign of what he saw in you [that we can see].

"We now ask ourselves: what did Madiba see in you that we can't see?"

Malema was referring to the Global Citizen festival in December 2018, when Winfrey addressed the event and later introduced Ramaphosa as Mandela's preferred successor.

Malema also took a jab at Ramaphosa over the content of his Sona speech, saying it did not inspire. "Your speech did not inspire confidence and hope amongst poor, young and old people of South Africa. Your own benches here were not moved at all, hence they couldn't sing a song in salutation of your tired speech," he told the president.

Concluding his speech, Malema threatened to implement impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa if he failed to come clean about Bosasa.

“We don’t want to do this now, but if you carry on as a constitutional delinquent, we will impeach you," warned Malema.

"You must take full responsibility for your mistakes and tell us the steps you will take. We don’t see anyone who can replace you in this party, and that is a disaster."

Malema also urged Ramaphosa to be an honest president: "Now help South Africa by taking it into your confidence. You’re human, you’ve made a mistake, you must confess. Don’t be the most honest dishonest person since the man who came before you. We want an honest president."

So the question remains: