South Africa: Opposition leader warns president to step down

Around 40,000 people turned Orlando stadium in Soweto into a sea of red as supporters roared their approval of fiery EFF leader Julius Malema’s promises to seize white-owned land without compensation and nationalise the banks.

“Land must not only be available to white minority, it must be available to all, including the white minority”. And although the EFF wants to take the majority of the land away from white people, they did not want white people to leave the country, as they also had a role to play in building SA, the party stressed.

Malema has also warned busiess, saying their operations will have to benefit communities.

EFF councillors would also have to lead by example.

The EFF last month pushed the Constitutional Court to deliver a ruling that Zuma had violated his oath of office and was liable for a portion of the $16 million spent on renovations to his rural home in Nkandla. Malema sent a stern warning to the IEC to tread carefully and ensure that voting processes were not rigged.

“We are not scared of a violence [sic] state”.

“No one can defeat the power of a black nation, not even the army can defeat the power of a black nation”. I sleep at night; I am not scared of you.

The EFF will never start any violence and will never point guns at innocent people, but anyone who comes with violence and thinks that they can intimidate with violence, “we will defend ourselves”, said Malema.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Saturday declared he was not afraid of being arrested for “speaking the truth” to power.

The charges were laid following comments made by the EFF leader during an interview with Al Jazeera.

Malema is the commander-in-chief of the EFF, an opposition party he founded in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC, where he had served as president of the ANC Youth League.

“Since when is the truth treason”.

The ANC on Monday opened a case of treason against Malema for this utterance.

Formed just three years ago the EFF won 6 percent of the vote at national polls in 2014 to become the third largest party and the second largest in opposition.

Malema said the essence of the EFF commitments is that everything the EFF municipality does should be people-centred and should be directed toward creation of jobs and provision of quality services to all.