Charles Molele
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said on Thursday that his party would first nationalise the land in order to spur economic growth in South Africa.
“We are first going to nationalise the land and give it to our people, so that we increase the number of people producing food in South Africa,” Malema said during an interview with Eusebius McKaiser on Radio 702.
The EFF is using the issue of nationalisation, anti-corruption, jobs creation and state control of the economy to challenge the ANC in the upcoming elections on 8 May.
Since its formation, the party has called for the nationalisation of the mines, banks and other strategic sectors of the economy as well as expropriation of land without compensation.
Malema said nationalising the land would fundamentally assist to achieve a 6% economic growth.
“We made the determination but we got inputs from financial experts, economists and researchers. When you nationalise mines, deal with the illicit financial flows and tax avoidance, that will lead to the growth of the economy,” said Malema.
“For you to nationalise the mines it’s possible, there is already a state-owned mining company, as a start you must capacitate it. You need political will and within a year you can achieve it. We also need to create National Infrastructure and National Roads as part of growing our economy. We speak about Special Economic Zones, particularly where most people live because industries are far from our people.”
Removing colonial borders
Malema said the EFF would get rid of borders if voted into power.
“Borders will not be there when the EFF is in government. If we speak decolonisation of education and other things, that must include the borders,” said Malema.
“The truth is when we are done fighting the foreigners, there will be a tribal war; there still will not be jobs, you still won’t get that woman you want because you will still be afraid to propose. We as the EFF don’t believe in borders – they are artificial constructs by colonisers. I will increase the budget of Home Affairs to include outsiders… I love Africans the same way I love myself. Their pain is my pain.”
Malema said solidarity among Africans is very important.
Malema also denied that his party received any funds emanating from the looting of VBS bank.
“Internally, we have investigated the VBS allegations. There’s no money from VBS in our coffers. I said in a press conference that any journalist who wants to check our books can come to our offices and we will open our books.”
Asked about the party’s extremism and it being prone to violence and terror, Malema said the EFF was not promoting violence.
“The EFF is a true reflection of how society feels,” said Malema.
“We are very angry. We are a very angry society. Bad things have happened to us. I have warned before that one day we will have an unled revolution because of that bottled anger. The EFF has taken this into consideration but we do not promote violence, we are promoting an uncompromising militancy.”
