Addressing EFF members in Malalane yesterday during the organisation’s ‘Land Day’, Shivambu said that Paul Kruger, who the national park was named after, never did anything significant to deserve such an honour.

“It is actually an insult that the park is named after Paul Kruger. Paul Kruger never brought animals to the park. As a matter of fact, the colonisers stole the land and forced our people away from these fertile and strategic pieces of land. The Kruger National Park needs [to be] renamed after our people,” said Shivambu.

The EFF used the day to send a message to billionaire Johan Rupert, who is said to own several properties across the country, including Leopard Creek.

Shivambu, joined by the Mpumalanga leader, Collen Sedibe, and treasurer general, Omphile Maotwe, handed over a memorandum to the Leopard Creek management.

Shivambu said they are giving them 14 days to respond to the memorandum and said that failure to do so, will leave them with no other option but to use ‘other means to air our message’.

“I can’t promise that the next time we come here we will be this peaceful,” said Shivambu after handing over the memorandum.

The march attracted over 1 000 EFF members, including families who were allegedly driven away from Leopard Creek.

Shivambu said the families are not even allowed to conduct African cultural rituals at their forefathers’ graves, which they claim are inside Leopard Creek.