Rupert threatened by economic revolution: EFF

REFILE - CORRECTING DATE South African politician Julius Malema is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg July 22, 2013. Malema, the expelled "bad boy" of South Africa's ruling African National Congress and now facing racketeering charges he denies, this month launched the nation's newest political movement the Economic Freedom Fighters, calling for a revolutionary jolt to Africa's biggest economy through nationalisation of mines and expropriation of white-owned land. Picture taken July 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: POLITICS)

REFILE - CORRECTING DATE South African politician Julius Malema is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg July 22, 2013. Malema, the expelled "bad boy" of South Africa's ruling African National Congress and now facing racketeering charges he denies, this month launched the nation's newest political movement the Economic Freedom Fighters, calling for a revolutionary jolt to Africa's biggest economy through nationalisation of mines and expropriation of white-owned land. Picture taken July 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: POLITICS)

Published Mar 17, 2014

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Johannesburg - Billionaire businessman Johann Rupert is threatened by the EFF's fight for economic freedom, the party said on Monday.

“Rupert is threatened by the economic struggle and the agenda to change patterns of ownership in South Africa,” Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema told reporters in Johannesburg.

He was announcing the EFF's national and provincial lists of candidates for the May 7 general elections.

He said anything that threatened to change power relations in the country, would be a threat to the luxury goods tycoon.

“Even when we were in the ANC Youth League he said the youth league is like an irritating mosquito in a tent that needs doom.

“President Jacob Zuma became that doom, used... to destroy the ANCYL.”

According to the Sunday Times, Malema told a group of supporters at a rally in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, at the weekend that Rupert had ordered the ANC to deal with him while he was head of the ANCYL and that the businessman controlled the SA Revenue Service.

“Does Johann Rupert think we are fools? When Zuma handed us over to SARS, his reason was political, Rupert's was (capital-driven).”

Malema will run as the EFF's presidential candidate.

Floyd Shivambu was number four on the national list, the party's national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was eighth and the national co-ordinator Andile Mngxitama was 10th.

Three members of the Socialist Party of Azania, including its president Lybon Mabasa, were part of the EFF's candidate list.

Three members of the Black Consciousness Party, including its deputy president Nkosi Molala, and two members of South Africa First were also listed as EFF candidates.

Democratic Alliance MPL Meisie Kennedy would be one of EFF's provincial candidates.

“If the DA is unhappy with that, they must fire her,” Malema said.

Sapa

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