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By Makhosandile Zulu

Journalist


‘Mini-Madiba’ Maimane wouldn’t survive 27 days in prison – Malema

Malema was speaking at the EFF's Coligny by-election victory celebrations today, where he also touched on a number of other topics.


During the EFF’s celebration today of its by-election victory in Coligny, North West, the red berets’ leader took a dig at Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane for comparing himself to former state president and global icon Nelson Mandela.

The comparison by the DA leader earned him the moniker “Mini-Madiba” following a Sunday Times column by Hogarth at the weekend which criticised him for not having his own identity.

“Mini-Madiba” had Twitter in a frenzy with many agreeing that Maimane has regularly suffered from an identity crisis of some sort.

During the EFF celebrations in Coligny, Malema said Maimane would not survive 27 days of imprisonment while Mandela, whom Maimane had compared himself to, had spent 27 years behind bars.

“Mmusi refers to himself as Mini Mandela but Mandela was in prison for 27 years; but if you would put Mmusi in prison for 27 days, he would not survive,” the EFF leader said.

During his address, Malema touched on various topics, including the expropriation of land without compensation and the national minimum wage.

On the land issue, Malema said the land should be returned to the people of the North West to ensure they are liberated.

“We want the people of North West to be liberated. We want our people to own the land and have a place where they can celebrate, build business and do as they wish because it is their land,” the EFF leader said.

On education, the leader of the red berets urged people to take advantage of free tertiary education, which he said had been made possible by the EFF.

“People must get educated, education is now free. EFF has made this possible. We said that the social grants should be increased, DA was against it but now Mmusi has just presented the idea as his own,” Malema said.

The EFF commander in chief urged people to join his party “as a declaration to fight against racism, against exploitation and against the oppressive nature of this regime.”

The EFF won the vote in Ward 15, Coligny, under the Ditsobotla local municipality, with 36.48% of the votes. The ruling African National Congress had previously won with 54.79% of the votes in the 2016 municipal elections.

ALSO READ: Malema says Mahumapelo will be ousted like Zuma

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