The Oppenheimer family have owned the diamond mines in Kimberley for “so long”, according to Julius Malema.
The ANC Youth League president continued his controversial campaign for the nationalisation of mines in Kimberley at the weekend, paying particular attention to the ownership of local diamond mines.
Appearing on the same platform as President Jacob Zuma, Malema said the people of Kimberley should own the diamond mines in and around the city, given that “one family” had owned the mines for “so long”.
“What is so special about the Oppenheimers?” he said. “What do they have that you don’t have? How can one family own mines for so long?”
Malema said Kimberley, given its mineral wealth, should be similar to Joburg by now.
He said that the mineral wealth and farmlands had been “stolen” from the people by the “apartheid regime and colonialists”.
“They discovered diamonds here. Why are you looking like a town that has no diamonds?” Malema said, to thunderous applause.
His statements about white people being “criminals” has caused a storm, with the youth league leader being accused of racism and facing the threat of more court action.
Opposition parties have criticised Zuma for not rebuking Malema for the statements, made in his presence.
Malema said land redistribution should have taken place in the Northern Cape without compensation being paid to farm owners.
“They are criminals who stole the land. We must take over the land without compensation. Some (landowners) don’t even have title deeds. They bought the land very cheap.
“The money to create jobs is in the hands of a few families.”
On Sunday, the ANC defended Malema, saying he could have been referring to the Natives Land Act of 1913 “which, when it was passed, was not negotiated, but land was taken from black people by force”. The act decreed that only certain areas, comprising just 7 percent of the country, could be owned by blacks.
The Freedom Front Plus and AfriForum said they would check if there were grounds for legal action.
AfriForum, which has taken Malema to court over his singing of Dubul’ iBhunu (Shoot the Boer), saying the song constitutes hate speech, said it would take Malema to court again if this was justified. The FF Plus’s Pieter Groenewald accused Malema of “acting like a criminal, being racist” and said he “obviously hates white people”.
Cope said Malema’s statements were “outrageous”.
“It’s easy to say these things, but difficult to undo the damage,” Cope’s national spokesman, Phillip Dexter, said.
The DA has declined to comment.
The ANC’s Keith Khoza said Malema’s statements should be seen in light of the league’s advocacy role.
“They’ve been advocating for certain policy actions, including in mining,” he said. - Cape Times