‘They are our neighbours, our partners’: Malema says white people should not leave South Africa

EFF president Julius Malema says he cannot imagine a South Africa without white people.

He was speaking at the party’s Jazz Hour event in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“We do not hate white people; we love them, so much.

“So much so that we are saying, for their own freedom, they must allow us to be free so they can demolish their walls in Sandton. But as long as there is still Alexandra, there will be high walls in Sandton,” he said.

White South Africans belong

Malema said despite South Africa’s history of apartheid and colonialism, he does not believe white people should leave South Africa.

“All we are saying is that white people must allow us at the table. We belong there. We do not belong on the floor and to eat the crumbs that fall from the table.

“We belong there collectively with them. We are South Africans, they came here as visitors. They have naturalised now, there is nothing we can do,” he said.

Ratanang Malema’s matric dance partner

He said his son had even taken a white person as a partner to his matric dance.

“I told him; ‘when you go to the matric dance, do not bring a white lady, please’. He did exactly what I told him not to do. So, if we hate white people and we want them to go, we must start with that one who was with Ratanang.

“Ratanang is going to fight back because these people are friends with our children. They are our neighbours, our partners. We are now doing almost everything together. You cannot imagine South Africa without white people,” he said.

However, Malema said he is against the idea of a South Africa with white dominance.

“We want a South Africa of equals, and they hear me very well because I communicate in their language, but they deliberately decide to distort my message and create* Swart Gevaar*, fear-mongering that if these ones take over, you are done,” he said.

Why the EFF is not popular among whites

Malema said he believes that his party is not liked by some white organisations, like the DA, because they cannot control it.

He said white capital in the country is influential and is now trying to find the next president for the country.

“A token president who is a black person. That is why every political party that is formed is formed by a white monopoly capital,” he said.