Malema ‘confident’ majority of youth will vote for EFF

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Monday said he was confident that most young people would vote for the Red Berets in the 2021 municipal elections.

Malema said he used to think that the youth were apathetic about voting in the polls, but his views were changed by their attendance, in large numbers, at the EFF’s rallies ahead of the elections.

“They’re going to come out in their numbers and I think they have now realised that they cannot leave it in the hands of their parents [to change their communities]. They too have to take an active part if they want to see changes.

“I think there is no youth apathy, the youth are more interested and we are going to get them,” Malema said.

He was speaking at Mponegele Primary school in Seshego, Polokwane, after casting his vote. He was accompanied by his wife Mantoa Matlala-Malema.

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The EFF leader said he was satisfied with the turnout of senior citizens at voting stations, but he said more young people should come out in their numbers.

“The youth of South Africa must come out in their numbers because this [election] has got to do with them.

“This is about the future and investing in infrastructure and service delivery in our own localities, and the youth must be at the forefront of such fights,” he said.

‘It’s now in the hands of citizens’

Malema, after spending the last few months crisscrossing parts of the country to garner votes for his party, said he was confident the EFF would emerge victorious in the elections.

“In the whole of Polokwane and South Africa, we are aiming for a decisive victory and we have done everything humanly possible [to win] and we have been to all corners of South Africa. We are happy that our people have received our message.

“The leadership of the EFF was on the ground and the ground forces of the EFF were also on the ground. We think that South Africans have heard the message of the EFF and received it very well. It’s now in the hands of South Africans,” he said.

‘EFF will take over Joburg’

Earlier, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, who voted in Soweto, said he was confident the EFF would take over the City of Johannesburg after the polls.

“When we take over government, we are going to implement all the commitments that we have made. We are going to give jobs and land to our people and improve service delivery,” Shivambu told the media at Moses Kotane Primary School in Braamfischer.

“People who are voting for the EFF are basically voting for themselves because from time to time we are going to consult the people in terms of what is expected from government,” he added.

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) continued to urge registered voters to make their way to their voting stations to elect their local representatives.

Voting stations close at 9pm, but the commission said voters who are at the voting station or in a queue at 9pm will be allowed to cast their ballots.

Voters were also reminded to vote only where they are registered and to bring along their ID documents.

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