Johannesburg - The Economic Freedom Fighters will liberate all the oppressed people of the world, leader Julius Malema said on Saturday.
“All the oppressed people in the world, we want them liberated,” he told supporters at Thokoza Park in Soweto.
“We seek to liberate the world and Africa in particular.”
Malema addressed a large crowd that had gathered at the park to celebrate the organisation's one-year anniversary.
He said the party was an international organisation and more parties would emerge in other countries.
“Children of Africa, freedom is coming. We have not tasted freedom. Freedom will come with the coming revolution,” said Malema.
He said people of Western Sahara, Botswana and South Africa were still oppressed and needed to be freed.
He said white monopoly capital was still pulling the strings in South Africa and the people would never enjoy freedom as long as that continued.
“(The) ANC has given them that freedom. We want to return that freedom,” he said.
Malema said the EFF was going to be around for many years to come as he could not imagine a future without the organisation.
“The future looks very bright,” he said.
The EFF is only a year old but it is already playing in the big leagues with opponents who had extensive experience, Malema said.
“We are already competing in the same league as organisations with 100 years experience (such as the ANC).”
Thousands had gathered to celebrate the party's one-year anniversary.
Malema then started mocking the African National Congress.
He said certain leaders of the ANC would not be remembered for the work they did for the public when they died.
“Even if they die, there is nothing you will remember about them except that they were making babies,” said Malema.
He said the formation of the EFF had shaken the political landscape in the country and the ANC was feeling the pressure being exerted by the organisation.
“The ruling party is scared because they understand the message of the EFF,” he said.
Malema said when the organisation was started, people were saying it was a Mickey Mouse venture and it would die out but they proved the naysayers wrong.
“...Now you can't listen to the media without the mention of the EFF. That is because EFF is a giant,” Malema said.
He then lashed out at those attacking the party's regalia of overalls and domestic worker uniforms. He said people should not be concerned about their attire but rather focus on the ideologies brought forward.
“We don't care what people wear. We care about their will to resolve issues of people on the ground. We want people who think and not domkops from the ANC,” said Malema.
He called on leaders to commit to the struggle of uplifting the African child.
Malema also told supporters that the Democratic Alliance must be rejected at all costs as it is funded by people from Israel.
“All of us must reject the DA. The DA gets money from Israel,” he said.
Malema told supporters who had gathered at Thokoza Park in Soweto for the party's one-year anniversary that his organisation was the only one in the country that supported the people of Palestine.
“The people who fight with the people of Palestine in South Africa is EFF. We are the only organisation that said the ambassador of Israel must leave the country,” he said.
Malema said the world could never be free as long as the people of Palestine were still oppressed.
He called on South Africans to boycott Woolworths as it was allegedly importing products from Israel.
“We must take a stand, those of us who can afford to buy from Woolworths to say we are no longer buying,” he said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters is the solution to the problems facing South Africa, Malema said.
“South Africa is in trouble and we are the medicine to the crisis our people are facing.”
He said the EFF was shaking the political landscape in the country and making those in power accountable to the people.
He said the party was the only formidable opposition to the ruling party since the dawn of democracy.
“For the first time in South Africa there is an opposition. Some are even losing weight because they have to think before they open their mouth,” he said.
Malema said the party was going to change the order of proceedings in Parliament to ensure that things were done differently.
He called on EFF supporters to make sure that people respected the organisation.
He said they did not care what opposition parties in Parliament say about their ways.
“As long as our masses are happy, then we are happy,” Malema said.
He then lashed out at the SABC for failing to broadcast the rally live. He called on supporters not to pay their TV license and said nothing would be done to them if they absconded from paying.
“They can't even take you the credit bureau,” he said.
The EFF accused the SABC of withdrawing its promise to provide live coverage of the party's one-year anniversary in Soweto.
“The SABC had confirmed that it will cover the EFF anniversary rally live on the 24-hour news channel as well as on an SABC free channel,” national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement.
He accused the SABC of pulling out at the “11th hour”.
SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago said he was not aware of the matter.
“I was not aware that we were going to do any live coverage of (the event).”
Ndlozi said it seemed the broadcaster was only committed to events held by the African National Congress.
“The SABC is supposed to be a public broadcaster, and serve the interests of the entire citizenry equitably,” he said.
“Its major programs only cater for the ruling party.” - Sapa