African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema is a "jewel", Deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula told Members of Parliament on Monday.

Speaking in the National Assembly at the end of debate on last week's State of the Nation address, he suggested - to loud jeers from opposition benches - that other parties were jealous that they did not have Malema as a member of their youth leagues.

Earlier, Mbalula said that he welcomed the debate on nationalisation, provoked by Malema's remarks on the subject in past months.

"We must not be afraid of the debate on nationalisation... [It] is not a re-definition of any ANC policy; it is a debate which is raised by a youth organ of the [party].

"We do understand your trauma, because you don't have youth organisations like ours... that is why the youth have crossed to the ANC. Malema is the only jewel that we have; he's the only thing that you don't have.

"That is why you are actually crying foul because you're jealous. Jealousy is the enemy of success," Mbalula said, suggesting Malema was in fact a "vibrant voice" within the ruling party.

His statements in the House were greeted with loud derisive cries and laughter from opposition party members.