Johannesburg - Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has thrown down the gauntlet, telling thousands of his supporters at the party’s manifesto launch that EFF was ready to oust the ANC.
According to Malema, the ANC and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will be the biggest losers in the upcoming national local government elections on August 3.
He said it will be a contest between only two parties - the EFF and the ANC - and the EFF is guaranteed to win.
“The ANC must bring it on. We are ready to take them on.”
Malema was speaking at the launch of his party’s local government manifesto at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
It was not only the ANC that was at the receiving end of Malema’s wrath - the IEC too did not escape his attack.
He accused the IEC of having rigged the outcome of the 2014 national elections in favour of the ANC.
He also dared Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko to arrest him.
Nhleko came under attack for confirming that the Hawks were investigating him after the ANC lodged a charge of treason against him for his interview with TV station Al Jazeera, in which Malema said he would take power through the barrel of a gun if the ANC rigs the elections.
“Arrest me. Here I am. We are ready to take you on. The only reason for the charge is because I speak truth to power. I stand for the truth. Why open a treason charge against a person who tells the truth?” he asked.
He also took a swipe at Minister of Intelligence David Mahlobo for what he described as his bulging figure, saying it was a sign of ill-health.
“Look after that stomach,” Malema quipped to his amused audience.
ANC President Jacob Zuma was also not spared Malema’s scorn, with EFF supporters attacking Zuma first.
Some of them came carrying a wooden coffin engraved with the words: “RIP Zuptas”. Zuma’s face was also placed on that coffin. Others expressed their dislike of Zuma through placards condemning him.
But it was the attacks on the IEC and ANC which were more venomous.
“The IEC stole our votes in Alexandra. They stole our votes in Gauteng,” Malema said.
Malema was speaking to more than 40 000 EFF supporters who packed the stadium from the early hours of the morning.
They had arrived from different parts of the country including from the far-flung areas of Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and other provinces to listen to their commander.
Judging from their response to his speech, it seemed Malema did not disappoint them. He encouraged them to move “door to door” to canvass votes for his party.
“This will be a contest between two parties in South Africa. We are going against the ANC. The other parties are just wasting their time.
“We filled Orlando Stadium. The ANC failed to fill Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth. We have beaten them up. Wherever they are (ANC leaders), they are watching their TVs with one eye while the sugar level of Jacob Zuma has gone up after watching EFF filling up Orlando Stadium,” Malema said.
He said they were determined to win the local government elections to reclaim the legacy of Winnie Mandela (ANC veteran), Robert Sobukwe (PAC founding president) and Chris Hani (slain SACP leader and Umkhonto we Sizwe commander).
Daring his supporters, Malema said: “If you reject the EFF you have yourself to blame. It’s a party for the black nation. We must show that we’ve got a party of our own. Poor people living in shacks this is your party. This is a party for you. This is a party for Africa. It is a party for the oppressed nation,” he said.
Malema said no white people were advising their party, saying it was formed by black people with the aim of championing their lives for the better.
“This is a socialist programme. A programme which is unstoppable. Not even the IEC can stop us. I want to warn the IEC. Why can’t the IEC be like the judiciary. The IEC must be independent. We are contesting against a third party - the IEC. The IEC rigged the votes in Tlokwe. They continued to do so in Alexandra and other parts of the country. We are warning them,” he said.
He said the ANC and IEC were not going to “defeat the power of the black nation”.
“We defeated apartheid. We are going to defeat you,” Malema said.
While he tactically retracted the statement he made during the Al Jazeera interview, Malema was adamant his party would defend itself if faced with violence.”
He also warned Zuma that soldiers in the SANDF were likely to turn against him because “they are EFF members.
“The police are also EFF members. I am whispering to you,” he said.
The Sunday Independent