Johannesburg -
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema on Saturday called on the residents of Stofel Park in Mamelodi, East of Tshwane to change their living conditions.
He said the residents were to blame for the lack of services in the area.
“These roads are like this because you're to blame. You have been voting for the same people,” he said.
Malema was addressing hundreds of supporters who had gathered for the launch of the party's election truck.
He told residents that the power was in their hands to bring change and improve their lives. There was no water, electricity, toilets or decent roads in the area.
Malema said the fact that government had no money should not be used as an excuse to not deliver services.
“Government might not have money but they (have) caterpillar trucks to flatten roads to make them usable.”
He urged residents to change their votes and go with a party that would deliver.
“The reason you're here is because you keep on voting for the same people.
“Change is you - change your vote,” he said.
Locals braced the scorching heat to listen to Malema address them.
Dressed in red T-shirts and berets, supporters danced and sang prior to his speech.
He told the hundreds who had gathered at the sports field that the money used on the swimming pool at President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal could have built a school.
“All that money went into the private entertainment of an individual. You must stand up for your children,” he said.
Malema told residents Zuma could not swim and laughed off the explanation given for the pool that it was a fire pool.
“Where I come from in Limpopo, they don't agree to the use of buckets to dose off fire.”
He told residents that if they still wanted to live in shacks, they should vote for the African National Congress.
“If you want to elect them (ANC) again go ahead but then you have no one to blame. People still live in shacks but his cows stay in luxury,” he said.
Malema took a swipe at ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.
He said Ramaphosa was worse than Zuma because he was in the pockets of capitalists.
“He was made by the Oppenheimer's. He was the only leader to walk freely in South Africa,” he said.
Malema said Ramaphosa had chosen a buffalo for R18 million instead of using the money to help the poor.
“He comes from a poor village in Venda that is without water.... but he buys a buffalo. He has chosen a buffalo over you,” he said.
Malema added that continuing to vote for the ANC would see the leaders living lavish lifestyles while the poor suffered.
“Elect them so that they can buy buffalo's and swim while you stay here.”
“The reason you're here is because you keep voting for the same people. Change your vote,” he said.
Malema also called on white South Africans to rally behind his party. He said majority of them did not own the land.
“White people must join the struggle for land. Only two percent of whites own land. If they want land, they must join EFF,” he said.
He said the EFF was not a non-whites party but a vanguard for the working class.
“That includes the white workers,” he said.
The financial sector was not spared the brunt of his attack. He said the sector was stealing from the poor.
“We must make sure the financial sector is accountable. They (banks) are the ones stealing from us,” he said.
Malema said banks were allowed to steal from the poor because government officials were benefiting.
He told residents that banks should not be allowed to repossess houses while an individual who was left with a year to go, could not pay.
“There is no one who must lose a house. We must transform the financial sector and it must speak to the needs of our people.
“We need government-owned banks that would grant qualifying customers interest free loans,” he said.
“We must deliver services. Why should government be worried about making a profit?”
He said people were charged exorbitant prices for the same house even after the bank had recovered its money. - Sapa