‘He must rot in jail’: Malema takes aim at Ramaphosa

Ask AI 1minEFF leader Julius Malema says President Cyril Ramaphosa is “the biggest problem” in South Africa and calls for him to be removed and jailed.

Image: Timothy Bermard/Independent Newspapers

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has described President Cyril Ramaphosa as “the biggest problem” in South Africa and called for him to be removed and jailed.

The Red Berets leader was speaking during the party’s KwaZulu-Natal manifesto rally at the Riverview Sports Field in Kokstad on Saturday, as the EFF steps up its campaign ahead of the local government elections.

He said Ramaphosa was responsible for the deaths of mineworkers at Marikana and accused him of stealing from South Africans.

“We want Ramaphosa removed, and we want Ramaphosa in jail. He took President (Jacob) Zuma to jail. He is going to follow himself. He will not stay for three months. He will stay forever in that prison and rot in prison. The biggest problem of South Africa is Cyril Ramaphosa,” Malema said.

He said Ramaphosa should not be compared to former president Nelson Mandela, criticising the ANC for invoking Mandela during election campaigns.

Malema said Mandela was never caught with money stashed in furniture.

He told supporters the victims of the Marikana massacre should be remembered when they cast their votes.

“You must say to the Marikana victims, in your name, in your spirit, we will never vote for Ramaphosa,” he said.

Malema also took aim at the MK Party and former president Zuma, saying Zuma was not the future of South Africa.

“The future is the EFF,” he said, urging voters to focus on local candidates and hold elected representatives accountable for their promises.

“You ought to vote for the people that are here, for the people you know,” Malema said.