Army-jacketed Malema says whites will determine whether anarchy reigns

Speaking on eNCA in the wake of an earlier interview in which EFF leader Julius Malema spoke of an “un-led revolution”, he clarified his comments on Thursday night.

He spoke of what he described as an impending civil war, which would happen not because of what he was saying but “because of the growing frustrations in the country”.

He denied that white people should feel persecuted. On the contrary, he reasoned that because of “white privilege” they were safe and “untouchable” and “receive more attention”.

#AsItHappens: #Malema: "The white people in South Africa are the most safe people. There is no one in South Africa who is more safe than white people." Courtesy #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/CN3ahdBPmZ

— eNCA (@eNCA) June 14, 2018

“If a white person dies on the farms, it makes news, but thousands of black people die and nothing is reported. Why? Because of white privilege.”

Malema said that he’d seen people coming around to his way of seeing things over time.

Malema: No-one should bully me for my thoughts. History has shown that at the beginning, people disagree with me but as time goes on they agree with me.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

Malema: I’m saying that depending on what white people do going forward will be the determinant of what happens. They should come to the table and be willing to share, else there will be an un-led revolution and anarchy will be the order of the day created by their attitudes.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

He told the channel’s Cathy Mohlahlana that “the masses are on board” for such a revolution, and the only thing preventing them from pushing for change themselves was leaders like himself and his party who still gave them hope that things might change.

“But when they realise nothing has changed, they will take it upon themselves. The leadership has failed.”

He said he believed there should be a revolution in the country, but it needed leaders instead of becoming the un-led one he was warning of.

“There should be a led revolution, which is orderly, which is radical, but it changes the status quo.”

He said that after the revolution the state should own the “strategic means of production” in the country; “the economy will be in the hands of the people as envisaged in the Freedom Charter; the land shall be in the hands of our people, and there will be equal society, and in that equal society there shall be peace and harmony”.

Malema was clad in a military-style jacket in studio.

Malema: I enjoy creating uncomfortable situations who are are comfortable and making comfortable for those who are uncomfortable. I’m committed to changing the status quo. #AsItHappens pic.twitter.com/i6JeE86826

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

He denied that the revolution in Zimbabwe had not been a success.

“You cannot want to measure the Zimbabwean revolution based on the capitalist definition. The Zimbabweans have now doubled production and are cultivating their own land without being under the supervision of those who owned the land before.”

He denied that civil liberties were a secondary concern to him. “No, it is primary … All we are saying is that let us share the resources of our country and have them equally distributed among the people.”

He said he had spoken against the repressive tactics of Zanu-PF, even when he was visiting Zimbabwe.

“Cutting up people and torturing people is not the way to go. We must follow democratic processes.”

#AsItHappens: #Malema: "We ought to exist in a democratic manner and win people through the power of persuasion, not through terror." Courtesy #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/ONL2zwEblE

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— eNCA (@eNCA) June 14, 2018

The EFF leader was dismissive of political analysts, one of whom had said the EFF was losing relevance in the post-Jacob Zuma period, saying they had no idea what they were talking about and he did not take them seriously. He said Ralph Mathekga had no “superior logic” and people like him couldn’t even organise a birthday party.

“They’re bookish. They’ve got no practical example or experience.”

He made it clear that he didn’t see President Cyril Ramaphosa as any threat to his political ambitions, describing him as irrelevant.

“Ramaphosa is exaggerated. I like Ramaphosa because he wants to remain Mr Clean … and the only way to remain clean is to be indecisive. And in the absence of decisive leadership, we come in and provide leadership. Look at parliament: we have been leading in terms of ideas.”

He later defended his deputy Floyd Shivambu’s comments against treasury director-general Ismail Momoniat, saying what he would have said would have been even stronger in the same situation.

Malema: Identity politics are not created by the EFF. We found them here. All we are saying, we want to liberate everyone, Africans in particular. Because Africans are the most oppressed.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

Malema: When Floyd said Momo is undermining African leaders, he is correct because Indians have undermined Blacks but it is not of their doing because that was historically created by the Apartheid government.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

Malema: EFF is going to do well in the 2019 Elections.

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) June 14, 2018

#AsItHappens: EFF leader Julius #Malema on his party's 2019 election strategy. Courtesy #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/0HWnEbO8ie

— eNCA (@eNCA) June 14, 2018