ECONOMIC Freedom Fighter’s commander-in-chief Julius Malema says his party wants to nationalise mines and banks in order to finance education to ensure it will be free.
Malema was addressing the people of Mankweng at Mountain View sports ground last Tuesday evening. He said the EFF was the fastest growing party in South Africa, having registered over 400 000 members in a period of seven months.
He said South Africa could not be liberated if education was still expensive. He said people should go to school and stop competing with fashion because fashion came and went.
“We are the fastest-growing organisation and registered more than 400 000 members within seven months. When we take over government, we will give you proper jobs.
“We believe R4 500 per month should be the minimum wage for an ordinary person. Around 50% of people working today get R2 800 as their minimum wage, and this has been since 1994. There has been no salary increment since then, but bread, water, electricity and petrol go up.
“Why are our people still going to work when their salaries don’t match the demand? It is because they believe that when they knock off, madam will give them leftovers to feed their children.
“Those working as petrol attendants will just sit there until someone comes to give them something,” he said.
“Children should get free education. People should be entitled to it and access it free of charge. Education is a right, not a commodity. It must be free until you get the degree. We will make education fashionable. Currently it can’t be fashionable because it is expensive and people don’t access it. There is no other solution than education. If you are educated, there is a guarantee that you get jobs,” he said.
“People should compete in education, not by wearing expensive clothes. You can’t be a proud addict of nyaope and alcohol. When we speak of nationalising the mines and banks, it is because we want to finance education and health. People shouldn’t walk long distances to the clinic and hospital. People go to the hospital and come back without any contact with the doctor. We need to restore the dignity of African people,” he said.
“The liberation of our people can’t be cheap. Better life is not cheap. Mandela can’t go to prison for 27 years for cheap freedom. If people think freedom is cheap, they are insane,” he said.
