Malema says he’s proud of EFF students in UFS video
The party leader says if the protest was peaceful, everyone should just move on.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said he was “proud” of the two students in EFF T-shirts shown in the controversial littering video.
Video footage of a scene that played out during a student protest last week at the University of the Free State led by, the EFF, among others, led many to criticise the party and its members.
In the clip, an apparently single-minded young man, identified as student Eckhard Binding, can be seen picking up litter and putting it in a trash bin, only for two waiting female EFF members to throw it back on the ground, rather mockingly.
The clip only emerged on social media on Monday.
Instead of him just giving up, he seemed determined to make his point, so the scene repeated itself numerous times, with Binding simply continuing to pick up litter and attempting unsuccessfully to put it back in the bin. It’s then tossed right back out.
The footage was from a protest at the University of the Free State last week where a group of people, including EFF members, were demanding the insourcing of staff on campus.
The video divided social media users, with some saying Binding was wrong for “interrupting” a protest, while others criticised the students who kept throwing the litter back where Binding had found it.
Some called on Malema to call the students to order for their actions, a call the EFF leader rejected.
Twitter user @brave_Boitu said to Malema: “Please stop justifying inhuman behaviour. There is absolutely no need for justifying this. Just call it to order and move on leadership. I wanna wear my red shirt with pride, definitely don’t want to associate myself with such behaviour,” while @MxolisiY asked: “If that’s the case Malema you leading rascals and worst of all you seems condoning this outrage behaviour (sic). What kind of leader are you?”
Malema responded: “We can’t, how do you call workers protest to order. There’s no formula to peaceful protest, the question should be, was it a peaceful protest, and if the answer is yes, we move on. We can’t allow the elite to dictate the form and content of the picket lines.”
We can't, how do you call workers protest to order. There's no formula to peaceful protest, the question should be, was it a peaceful protest, and if the answer is yes, we move on. We can't allow the elite to dictate the form and content of the picket lines.
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) March 5, 2019
He further said “and I’m proud” of the students in the video.
(Background reporting by Charles Cilliers)
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