South Africa: Malema Refuses To Employ Zuma’s ex-Minister Sexwale
Sebokeng – South Africa needs a humble president who lives among the people, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said on Saturday as he refused to hire axed Jacob Zuma’s former Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale, who was one of three ministers fired by Zuma in the week.
“We need a president who is very humble,” he told about 100 residents in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg, at an EFF rally.
South Africans needed someone who understood them, not someone who lived like a king, said Malema.
“You can shoot me if you want [for saying that]… If they want to kill me, they must kill me.”
Malema, clad in a red EFF beret, was accompanied by axed ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu and controversial businessman Kenny Kunene.
He said the government was corrupted and that ordinary people had the power to influence change.
“Those who want RDP houses must be given RDP houses. Those who want land must be given land,” he said to loud cheers from the crowd.
Malema, who previously held the position of ANC Youth League president, was expelled from the party last year. He launched the EFF “protest movement” on Thursday.
At the launch he said the EFF would have firm anti-corruption policies.
Malema faces a corruption charge relating to activities involving R4m in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court. He is out on bail of R10 000.
On Saturday, he said Sebokeng was under developed compared to other areas in Gauteng
“There’s nothing that looks like gold here in Sebokeng… unlike the Gautrain in Gauteng.”
A confident Malema predicted that his party would become the new ruling party in South Africa.
“This is the beginning. The ruling party has become arrogant,” he said.
“We are going to take this government and once we take it, we are not going to negotiate, we are going to take our land. We are going to take it because its our land.”
He said he would not be intimidated by anyone.
“They will say all sorts of things about us, but they will never shake us,” he said.
“If they want to disrupt our meetings, we are waiting.”
Don’t be intimidated
Malema urged residents not to be scared because the EFF was there to defend them.
“We must never be intimidated. We all have a right to be involved in politics,” he said.
“There is no one who is going to tell us this is a no-go area. We can go anywhere in South Africa. There is no one who is going to take your pension. We are here to defend you.”
Malema said the African National Congress needed Jesus in their lives.
“They [the ANC] were going to rule until Jesus comes back. What kind of statement is that?” he asked.
“They need Jesus. So Jesus has come back, they [ANC] must go out. They are not the Alpha and Omega”.
He said the people of the country were the “Alpha and Omega”.
Malema was referring to a comment made in March 2009 by President Jacob Zuma in Mpumalanga that the party would rule until Jesus returned.
Malema previously said the EFF had a plan which included the non-negotiable principles of land expropriation and nationalisation of mines, both without compensation. It was also strongly opposed to foreign land ownership.
Malema interacted with residents on Saturday by listening to their problems which included issues around education, infrastructure, and corruption.
“You must exercise power. We can take over this government,” Malema told residents. Gauteng EFF convener Pule Matshitshe said the EFF was a tool for people to use.
“South Africa is the richest place with the poorest race. The EFF, this is a tool that will open your voice,” he said.
“We are going to fight supremacy.”
Matshitshe said the EFF would never allow the poor to be “just” street sweepers.
The EFF also had no intention of hiring axed Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale, who was one of three ministers fired by Zuma this week.
Malema said he would not recruit Sexwale for the EFF.
– SAPA