Johannesburg - EFF leader Julius Malema has called President Jacob Zuma a hypocrite after statements he made about Libya and the migrant crisis in Europe.

"What Zuma said represents the highest form of hypocrisy, dishonesty and utter disregard of the people of South Africa and the African continent," he told reporters in Johannesburg.

Malema claimed that Zuma had voted with the West to bomb Libya and kill then-president Muammar Gaddafi.

"If there is anyone who is responsible for the murder of Gaddafi in the African continent it is Mr Zuma because when he voted for the invasion of Libya he was assigned by the African Union to find a lasting political solution between the government of Libya and the sponsored protesters, who were funded by the West to destabilise Libya."

Earlier this week, Zuma said European countries, which played a role in the downfall of Gaddafi, resulting in instability in Libya, had to accept responsibility for the humanitarian and refugee crisis.

"Before the Arab Spring and before the killing of Gaddafi, there were no refugees fleeing or flocking to the European countries," he said while addressing media, senior Cabinet ministers and a bevy of high commissioners and ambassadors from diplomatic missions in South Africa.

Malema said Zuma was misleading the country about the circumstances around what led to the assassination of Gaddafi.

The president had "the blood of Colonel Gaddaffi on his hands", he said.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.