EFF commander in chief Julius Malema visited the Northern Cape as he sought to woo voters ahead of the November 1 municipal elections.
EFF COMMANDER in chief Julius Malema called for all schools and houses to be provided with electricity, flushing toilets and water, while he was on the campaign trail in the Northern Cape.
He stated that the rich, “living in big houses”, should subsidise the poor.
“We want everything that the white man has. You can only share what you have. In less than two weeks Sandton must subsidise Soweto. It is a brilliant idea, the same must happen in Galeshewe,” said Malema as he sought to woo voters in Kimberley.
While awaiting his arrival at the Galeshewe circle on Wednesday, the police fired a stun grenade after Riemvasmaak residents set tyres alight in protest over an electrification project that has not yet gotten off the ground.
“We will not vote for the ANC or the EFF because politics is not bringing us services. How can we expect change when the same party is voted in year after year. We will rather vote for the Sol Plaatje Service Delivery Forum,” the angry residents stated.
Malema was scheduled to address supporters in Kimberley at 1pm on Wednesday but was delayed by about three and a half hours as he first had to visit Pampierstad and Barkly West.
The commander in chief estimated that it would “only cost” R200,000 to provide each school with flushing toilets and running water.
“Someone is sleeping on the job. Toilets are built outside RDP houses, out of disrespect. It makes no sense, I would never do it.”
Malema also believed that Eskom should “stop wasting time” and write off all debts and ensure that all houses are connected to the power grid.
“They will make their money when we buy electricity. How do you build a house without electricity?”
Malema called DA leader John Steenhuisen a “young boy with a matric”, whom he said could not compete with him “academically, intellectually or otherwise”.
He added that ANC cadres were hired without suitable qualifications, while security workers and cleaners earned meagre salaries.
“On voting day, they will give you alcohol and you will forget about your problems. I would rather walk around naked than wear an ANC T-shirt because that would make me a potential criminal. We are no longer voting for criminals, we would rather die of poverty.
“It is my job to conscientise and liberate the soul of an African child. It is not my job to be a president – if we get 10 votes, I am happy because 10 people were liberated. I don’t owe anybody anything.”
Meanwhile, community health-care workers (CHWs) who travelled from all five districts in the Province to see Malema were disappointed that he had not addressed a memorandum that they handed over to him regarding their poor working conditions.
“We want the benefits of being permanently absorbed. We don’t want social grants and would rather be paid decent salaries so that we can take proper care of our children,” said the CHWs.
“We were given Persal numbers that are preventing us from receiving social grants and applying for financial assistance for our children to further their studies and yet we are still being paid a stipend of R3 633. The unions are not representing our interests and we are fighting this battle on our own.”
They added that many CHWs had died since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, where they had not received any financial assistance.
“Government is not listening to our grievances.”
