{UAH} 'Return the stolen property and we are friends,' Malema tells Afrikaners

‘Return the stolen property and we are friends,’ Malema tells Afrikaners

EFF leader Julius Malema, dressed to the nines, at the party’s gala dinner in Boksburg on Friday (February 21 2014). Picture: Sipho Masondo

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema used his speech at the party’s fund-raising gala dinner to woo the Afrikaans and Indian communities, saying they “will not be driven to the sea because they are our brothers and sisters”.

Speaking at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on the East Rand last night, Malema said: “White people should feel welcome. We are not fighting with white people. There are many white people who are poor, they too should join the struggle for economic freedom. We want them to be economically emancipated, especially white females.”

The economy, said Malema, who was clad in a navy blue suit, white shirt and a red bow-tie, was controlled by a small white “mafia” residing in Stellenbosch.

Addressing the Afrikaans community he said: “This is your home. Unlike other people, you only have one passport. We need each other, you are not going anywhere.”

However, he was quick to remind them they had benefited from apartheid.

“We must be honest and robust, we are the victims and you benefited from apartheid. You are in possession of stolen property. Return the stolen property and we are going to be friends. This country must be returned to the rightful owners. We must not wish each other away.”

Later, he turned his focus to the Indian community, telling them they were black and also previously disadvantaged.

“Indians have no other home except South Africa. They belong here and this is their home. They are our brothers and sisters and they were also marginalised by the nonsensical and murderous apartheid regime.”

The EFF will launch its manifesto at the Mehlareng Stadium in Tembisa today. Malema accused the ANC Youth League, which has organised a bash not far from the stadium, of being followers.

“They are following the EFF. We went into Tembisa and they come after us, we are the leaders and they are following up. Tembisa will be converted into a sea of red.”

His party, he said, was the only party with a genuine agenda to change the living conditions of poor people. The party would get about 20% of the vote in Gauteng and then become kingmakers, he said, adding that he would go into a coalition with any party, to the extent that it subscribes to the EFF’s ideals.

Malema said those who believed life had changed for the better over the past 20 years were not in touch with the daily struggle for survival experienced by the poor.

“We are the hope for the hopeless, we are a home for the homeless and we are an organisation of orphans,” he said.