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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


It is extremely difficult to be an African in South Africa – Malema

The EFF leader elaborated on an earlier complaint that allegations of corruption against him would be less significant if he were white or Indian.


Speaking at his party’s manifesto consultation assembly meeting with the safety, security and policing sector in Tshwane on Sunday, EFF leader Julius Malema appeared to say he and his party are facing challenges primarily on the basis that they are black, and the enemies of black advancement have been uniting against him.

“It is extremely difficult to be an African in this country,” he said during his speech in the capital that touched on numerous issues, including the insourcing of security workers, the fight against crime and the challenges of the security industry in general.

He and his party were dealing with enormous pressure this week amid allegations that Malema and his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, knowingly benefited from the proceeds of the illegal looting of VBS Bank, an allegation they denied without providing any proof to the contrary. They instead questioned the motives and competence of the journalist who wrote the investigative report, as well as name-calling her.

READ MORE: Malema tells ‘sick’ Pauli van Wyk: ‘Go to hell satan’

“Fighters, we must be consistent,” Malema said on Sunday. “Dogs bark at moving cars and ours is moving. We are not going to retreat. Before the EFF, there was no talk about the land, it was taboo. They called us names but we never listened because we know we have an appointment with the future.”

He claimed the EFF had been centrally instrumental in having former president Jacob Zuma ousted and Cyril Ramaphosa installed in his place.

“Mama Winnie [Madikizela-Mandela] told the ANC not to expel us because that would be detrimental. Nelson [Mandela] was also sworn at but today they sing his praises. He was told he is too adventurous and that the Boers will kill him, but he never listened to them.

“Be aware that when you fight for insourcing, you are fighting against white monopoly capital.”

He undertook to fight for the rights of those in his audience.

(Compiled and edited by Charles Cilliers)

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