Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema says he believes the ANC will not survive the next election.
“It won’t survive. They couldn’t run their own conference… it had to sit on two separate weekends which is practical evidence of a serious crisis.
“So no miracle is going to happen between now and 2024 for the ANC to gain any support in Gauteng,” Malema said during an interview – which premiered on Monday – with podcast host MacG Mukwevho, where they discussed his upbringing, among other topics.
In the 2021 municipal elections the ruling party’s national support dipped below 50% for the first time since the dawn of democracy.
The EFF leader said he believed that South African politicians were corrupt because “they are being corrupted by white people”.
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“The question we need to ask is why do we only see people in government [being] exposed and arrested?
“What is happening in the private sector? Because it is both the public and private sector that are corrupting each other,” he said.
He also commented on the state of South Africa’s infrastructure and government-owned institutions, adding that SOEs such as South African Airways (SAA) should be subsidised.
“Why is there no fast train between here and Musina? We found Transnet working, transporting tons and tons of minerals.
“We have collapsed Transnet – as a result, there are too many trucks on the road and too many trucks on the roads means death because many of them are not in good condition. Let’s go and fix Transnet. Infrastructure is collapsing right on our face,” the EFF leader added.
Malema also criticised Operation Dudula, led by Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini.
Asked what were his thought about Dlamini and the Dudula movement, the EFF leader said: “Who is Nhlanhla Lux? I know Operation Dudula [but I must say] it’s self-hate. Black people are hated all over the world and for a black person to hate another black person who is hated all over the world, what is that?
“Let us show each other love. That is all I am saying. Criminals let’s deal with them… I have got no time for thugs. I do not tolerate thugs.
“But I am not going to beat up a person because he is dark and ugly in my eyes. What makes you fall in love with this borders thing because you are unemployed now with borders?”
Operation Dudula – which gained prominence in the country after it started targeting foreign nationals, accusing them of taking jobs from locals – previously accused Malema of supporting illegal foreigners in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Malema indicated that he would step down as the leader of the EFF.
“The success of a leader depends on whether he prepares the second and the third layer of leadership,” he said.
The EFF leader previously said he aims retire from politics at the age of 55 and pursue a different career path.
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