Africa Day: EFF calls for removal of the French presence in Africa

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) celebrated Africa Day by taking to the streets of Pretoria to picket in front of the French embassy and handed over a list of demands calling for the removal of the French presence in Africa, among others.

EFF members gathered in their numbers and waited for party leader Julius Malema to arrive before marching to the French embassy to hand over the list of demands.

National EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said the EFF condemned all manifestations of colonialism and neocolonialism on the continent.

“French colonialism continues to be the most brutal, cruel and devilish form of colonialism on the African continent,” he said.

The memorandum demanded the French government grant full independence to all African countries and allow them to determine their own currencies, monetary policies and economic direction.

ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about the Africa Day concert

The party also demanded France stop all colonial taxes and also called for the immediate removal of all of its military bases and French soldiers currently stationed in Africa.

Other demands included France returning all mineral or fiscal reserves to African nations and any of their former colonies and paying reparations to all of its former colonies, particularly to the “architects of the slave rebellion” known as Haiti.

The EFF has also called for the removal of French as an official language in Africa and the stopping of France’s sponsorship of “divisions in Africa’s continental multilateral institutions” such as the Pan African Parliament and the African Union.

Democratic Alliance shadow minister of international relations and cooperation Darren Bergman said the DA believed the this type of protest was not constructive.

“We acknowledge that Africa has suffered historic injustices from many European countries and through sincere redress and reconciliation nations could find one another…”