Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema. Gallo Images
Speaking at the Union Buildings on Wednesday at the National Day of Action calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down, EFF leader Julius Malema clarified that the fight against Zuma was also a fight against the ANC, because Zuma was “the creation of the ANC”.
“They are to be blamed for this mess.”
He told ANC voters they had contributed to destroying the country. “But it’s not too late to join us to say ‘not in my name’.”
He had earlier said that presenting a memorandum to Zuma was pointless because Zuma was “illiterate” and would not read it because “this man will never read anything from us”.
Malema said Zuma had never had any relationship with books and giving him anything on paper would be a waste of that paper and ink.
He reminded the gathered crowd that they were going to continue the marches in every province in the country and all big cities.
Malema said race was not important and they were gathered to defend “the future of our children”. He said that if Zuma considered those marching against him to be racists, then he would be proud to be a racist.
He said that with Zuma’s current stewardship of the economy, the price of a loaf of bread would be R80 by 2019 when “we take over the government”. So South Africa could not wait for the opposition to take government in 2019.
“You are going to blame us because of problems created by this man. We must prevent it now. This is not just a useless exercise. You came out in your numbers.
“We want these numbers again when we debate a motion of no confidence in parliament. Our people must come out and say ‘enough is enough’.”
Malema cautioned that revolution was not a birthday party, but would take time, therefore they needed to be persistent.
He slammed Gwede Mantashe for changing his tune on Zuma, but thanked Kgalema Motlanthe and Thabo Mbeki for joining the call asking for Zuma to step down. He also called ANC MPs cowards, but encouraged them to take the opportunity to do the right thing and vote against Zuma.
“I worked with all of them. They are cowards.” But he said General Bantu Holomisa was “making arrangements” for a secret vote so that the cowards could vote Zuma out.
He then referenced the allegation from Minister Lindiwe Sisulu that her life had been threatened and that she had even met the man who’d been sent to kill her. She had not even openly spoken out against Zuma and her life was put in danger – what about those who would speak openly, Malema asked.
The EFF leader added that he was not scared of Zuma’s security forces and government did not have a “monopoly on violence”.
However, he asked his supporters to go home peacefully and continue to mobilise peacefully.
“Please let’s go back peacefully. Let us protect each other.”
