“I'll kill you outside. Outside this meeting, I will kill you.”

These words, clearly audible in video posted on the Pan-African Parliament's YouTube channel, were said by EFF leader Julius Malema during a heated exchange on Thursday.

The comment was seemingly aimed at another MP, by a visibly angry Malema. According to News24, the MP was from the Mali delegation. His comments before or in response to the exchange cannot be heard.

The exchange starts at shortly after six minutes into the video.

Shortly after the incident, one MP, pointing a finger in Malema's direction, says: “There's an MP who's threatened to kill a colleague. There's an honourable member who's officially announced that he's going to assassinate his colleague after we leave this chamber.”

His comments are in English through a translator.

Malema replies in English: “You're pointing me with a finger now.”

As acting Pan-African parliament president Fortune Charumbira repeatedly calls for order, the MP says: “Honourable president, please take care of this. There's a MP who's announced he will eliminate a colleague.”

It is unclear exactly what triggered Malema's comments, or if any words were exchanged beforehand, but it came after Charumbira said that the session had to be adjourned because of a positive Covid-19 result.

The session was hold elections for the parliament's new bureau.

But many MPs weren't happy at the decision to adjourn the meeting. One, also through the translator, said there was “no reason whatsoever” to adjourn as the case was among a member of staff and not an MP. Others, however, supported the decision to adjourn.

It was during these often tense discussions that the exchange between Malema and the MP took place. 

The meeting was ultimately adjourned, and will now reconvene on May 31.

TimesLIVE sent a text message to EFF spokesperson Vuyani Pambo about 10.20 on Thursday night. This story will be updated when a response is received.

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