The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has received a complaint about National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete calling EFF leader Julius Malema a cockroach, it said on Wednesday.

"I can confirm that the SAHRC has received a complaint regarding alleged utterances by Speaker Baleka Mbete, in which she is alleged to have referred to... Malema as 'cockroach'," spokesperson Isaac Mangena said.

During Tuesday's debate on President Jacob Zuma's State-of-the-nation address, Economic Freedom Fighters MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said Mbete should withdraw the remark.

Ndlozi was referring to reports that Mbete, addressing an African National Congress North West congress at the weekend, spoke of "cockroaches like Malema".

"If we don't work we will continue to have cockroaches like Malema roaming all over the place," the Mail&Guardian online quoted her as saying.

Mangena said the complaint, laid by a member of the public, was one of hate speech and incitement to violence.

"The commission is assessing the complaint with the view to investigate."