THE Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) protesters, led by the party’s charismatic leader Julius Malema, marched to Johann Rupert’s farms in Stellenbosch to demand the disclosure of the Corporate Social Investments (CSI) made by the billionaire personally to local communities, including his off-shore bank accounts.
Thousands of EFF members and party supporters on Wednesday took part in a march outside properties owned by the Rupert family in Stellenbosch, Western Cape.
The march, dubbed by the Red Berets as “Land Day”, coincided with the arrival of Dutch colonial administrator and navigator Jan van Riebeeck in South Africa on 6 April 1652.
“We had come here to demand an immediate equitable redistribution of all land in private holdings without compensation, particularly that which is currently under the ownership of Rupert and his entities,” said Malema.
“We are here today to confront White Monopoly Capital that we as the EFF exist everywhere, and even here in Stellenbosch we exist.”
Malema said the minerals of this country belongs to the people, and demanded that all land in South Africa must be returned to the hands of the rightful owners.
“That is why we are here, to say to Rupert – your riches come out of stealing from Black people … and Johann Rupert and his family, and the Oppenheimers and many of these rich white families of SA – they are the face of the land criminal that was committed in this country,” said Malema.
“They killed our forefathers, they raped our mothers, they stole the cattles, and now they have settled here and they call this place their place.”
The EFF handed over a memorandum of demands to representatives of Rupert’s investment holding company, Remgro.
The list of six demands included calls for Rupert to distribute land he privately owns and his entities without compensation.
The party also demanded immediate disclosure of the amount of property owned by Rupert and how it was acquired historically.
“We call on the Rupert’s to respond to the EFF demands in the next 14 days,” said the party.
Rupert is the richest man in the African continent.
Earlier this year, Rupert saw his wealth grow to $11.5 billion, placing him at 183 on the elite list of the richest billionaires in the world.
The luxury watchmaker, who was ranked 358th in the world in 2021 has moved up the ladder quickly in 2022, recovering from the downturn last year, when his net worth dropped to $5.4 billion from $7.3 billion.
The billionaire and his family together currently have a fortune worth $11.5 billion. He made the bulk of his fortune from Compagnie Financiere Richemont, a company that he founded in 1988.
The company produces Swiss Luxury goods and is best known for the brands Cartier and Montblanc. He controls the world’s largest luxury watchmaker, Cie Financiere Richemont, through a family trust.
- Inside Politics
