Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema lamented his party’s lack of support from the elderly who he said came to the EFF when they needed help only to turn their backs on his party at the voting booth.
The streets of Atteridgeville, in Pretoria, were a sea of red as EFF members from all over Gauteng went to listen to the Freedom Day message by Malema.
Delivering the party’s Freedom Day message, Malema called on the elderly to stop lying by promising to vote for them and when they get to the voting booth they vote for ANC which he called “crooks”.
“I have seen elderly people who lie through their teeth. Whenever they need help they come to the EFF, but when they get to a ballot, they vote for the ANC,” said Malema.
“We stand for black people. We will help them so they can be liberated,” said Malema.
“There is no freedom in South Africa, there was just a change of seats. What kind of freedom without water, electricity, housing, proper roads, economy, health facilities, education, jobs, justice? What kind of revolution takes place in the land and the oppressor lose nothing, we have nothing to celebrate?
“What did we fight and die for? What did former president Nelson Mandela and others fought and died for? What type of freedom is this, what type of revolution is this? The revolution has taken place, yet, the oppressor lost nothing, they still own the land, economy and the environment. This freedom is not free, how can it be free without economic freedom? When you speak the truth, people say we are rude, vote for your lies, truth is revolution,” said Malema.
“Let’s die in the opposition benches with our truth. Truth must be told, our people are dying of poverty and hunger,” he said.
Malema paid respect to all those who lost their lives due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said when the people needed food and PPE’s they were not there.
“We saw many people die along the way, not because they were reckless or not complying but because there was no water to wash hands. Water is not enough, there was no soap or sanitiser, the little that we had, was stolen by them and their children and their spouses including side-chicks,” said Malema.
“Those food parcels that arrived in townships, they went to a selected few, and not all the people who needed them. Our people had no shelter, but they were told to stay at home. The government unleashed soldiers to assault people, they even killed a person,” said Malema.
Malema also declared war against President Cyril Ramaphosa and his party in connection with the upcoming elections.
“Comrades, we are going to elections. A crook announced the dates of the sixth local government elections of 27 October at night after we asked for the elections to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he announced at night because he thought we are scared, we are not scared, we care about our people. We have gathered here today to prove to Ramaphosa that we are not scared of him,” said Malema.
“Ramaphosa, you want elections, bring them now, even if you can bring them tonight or tomorrow, we will defeat the ANC in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, because we are not scared, when we become reasonable, they think we are cowards. These mafias, when we negotiate politely by saying guys, our people are dying because of the pandemic, they think we are scared,” said Malema.
Malema said, the EFF was ready for the elections.
“When we say let’s postpone the elections, we want to see the behaviour of this pandemic because elections are rallies, elections are door-to-door. How can we do elections without rallies? He said we are going to elections, there is no one who is going to tell us we are many here,” he said.
Malema said the EFF election volunteers were ready to take over the wards up for grabs at the local government elections.
“We are not saying apartheid was better, but it becomes more painful when it’s done by fellow black people that is what makes it more painful (a white person does not know our struggle, why do blacks do that, they know our struggles but they beat us up). We want our land, we are not requesting it belongs to us and we will get it,” said Malema.
Political Bureau