By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has emphasised the party’s dedication to improving the lives of South African workers.
The EFF hosted a Workers’ Day rally at the Zinniaville Sports Ground in Rustenburg, North West, on Thursday.
The event was attended by hundreds of EFF supporters, as well as members of the party’s national executive and provincial committee.
Malema opened his speech by paying homage to the 34 mineworkers who lost their lives during the Marikana massacre on 16 August 2012. He asserted that the EFF was born out of the bloodshed at Marikana and that the party’s mission is to continue the fight for economic freedom in honour of those workers.
“This EFF is a product of Marikana. This EFF was made by the blood of innocent workers of Marikana who were killed by Cyril Ramaphosa together with the greedy ANC, “Malema declared.
He highlighted the party’s efforts in insourcing workers at institutions like the University of the Witwatersrand and the City of Johannesburg, ensuring better wages and working conditions.
“We want workers to be paid proper salaries. We want workers to have leave days. We want workers to have medical aid and to be admitted in proper hospitals without paying anything,” he stated.
Malema also called for the nationalisation of mines and other strategic sectors of the economy, arguing that this would ensure that the wealth generated benefits all South Africans, not just a select few.
Since its formation in 2013, the EFF, which draws much of its support from the rural poor, has called for the nationalisation of mines, banks and other strategic sectors of the economy as well as expropriation of land without compensation.
“We cannot postpone the land question, we cannot postpone the jobs question, it must happen now,’ Malema charged.
Land is a hot-button issue in South Africa where racial inequality remains entrenched more than two decades after the end of apartheid when millions among the black majority were dispossessed of their land by a white minority.
The EFF leader turned his attention to the youth, expressing concern over high unemployment rates and the state of education in the country. He proposed that every graduate, especially doctors and teachers, should be guaranteed employment upon completing their studies.
Malema stressed the importance of serving the poor where the EFF is, suggesting ways the government could cut costs.
“The EFF is not a government-in-waiting, EFF is governing here in Rustenburg, and we want every department that is led by the EFF to perform much better the save the poor of the poorest,” said Malema.
“When we say ‘Remove the deputy ministers’, a lot of money is going to be saved – And that money will come to you, the poorest of the poor.
However, he said these things would never happen under Ramaphosa’s government.
“Mambush will never rest as long as Ramaphosa is still the President of South Africa. Mambush will never rest as long as the ANC is still a government in the North West.”