Musicians in tune with Malema over ‘Indians are racist’ comments

Legendary South African musician Ringo Madlingozi has expressed his support for the red berets’ commander-in-chief Julius Malema after saying Indians are racist.

During Youth Day celebrations in Klerksdorp, North West, at the weekend, Malema said most South African Indian people, as well as coloured people, were racist towards black South Africans.

“We were not all oppressed the same. Indians had all sorts of resources Africans didn’t have, coloureds as well. The majority of Indians are racist. I’m not saying all, I’m saying majority,” Malema said at the celebrations.

Expressing solidarity with Malema, Madlingozi said growing up in Cape Town had exposed him to the reality of Indian, coloured and white people being racist towards his father.

I grew up in Capetown. I always knew that I was less important in that land from the way coloreds, indians and whites spoke down to my father. I grew up and rebelled against it until it became insignificant. It is still the same. I agree with @Julius_S_Malema . Truth hurts!

— Ringo Madlingozi (@ndiyagodola) June 18, 2018

Nothing is expressing backward views from exposing hatred & racist attitudes towards poor/rich black people by some South Africans. Nothing is honorable from avoiding speaking this truth for the sake of peace, while majority live in desolation. We cannot postpone this era.

— Ringo Madlingozi (@ndiyagodola) June 18, 2018

Madlingozi further tweeted that newspaper editorials were dampening the truths Malema had uttered at the weekend by referring to the comments as “rhetoric”.

These newspaper editorials are hell bent on dampening the truths that @EFFSouthAfrica is exposing by calling them ‘rhetoric’. They play with words, blocking their inner fears, whatever they are. Media should inform the masses. Personal opinions shouldn’t be forced on the masses.

— Ringo Madlingozi (@ndiyagodola) June 18, 2018

Another musician who sided with Malema, who has been called out by a number of media commentators for the comments, is singer Simphiwe Dana.

Tweeting earlier this morning, Dana urged South Africans to not take the cue from media commentary and opinion makers, but rather seek to be independent thinkers.

https://twitter.com/simphiwedana/status/1008913808683921408

https://twitter.com/simphiwedana/status/1008914509266931712

Dana said the frenzy around Malema’s comments reminded her of that famous interaction she had had with Western Cape Premier Helen Zille about racism in that province.

https://twitter.com/simphiwedana/status/1008918395537055744

https://twitter.com/simphiwedana/status/1008919628536573952

https://twitter.com/simphiwedana/status/1008924233676808192

ALSO READ: Malema was right, say some after Indian woman’s racist airline incident

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