Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has slammed Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s draft economic recovery strategy.
Malema said the document is “a direct declaration of war against the working class and black people in general.”
He was addressing the media at a press briefing on Thursday in Johannesburg.
Mboweni’s document seeks the privatisation of key assets of the state like Eskom, Transnet and water. It also plans to keep the banking sector outside the control of the state.
Julius Malema
He cautioned that privatisation comes with “job losses, casualisation and outsourcing.”
Malema said the African National Congress (ANC) 2017 national conference was “openly bought by white monopoly capital.”
The fiery leader said EFF would seek unity of “the Left” to speak with one voice against the “coming neoliberal war by the ANC.”
Gender-based violence
Malema slammed the government for its “reluctance” to deal with gender-based violence.
He expressed condolences to the families of Uyinene Mrwetyana, Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels, Janika Mallo, Ayakha Jiyani and her siblings.
The judicial system must be strengthened and police stations reconfigured as safe places to protect women, he said.
Malema announced that EFF would take legal action against the government on the case of Uyinene Mrwetyana, whose perpetrator worked at a Post Office.
We have assembled a legal team to take legal action on the Post Office and the Minister of Communications.
This is because the safety of those who are serviced by the Post Office is the responsibility of the Post Office and the Minister of Communications.
Julius Malema
On xenophobia
The EFF leader blamed government for the poverty, hunger and unemployment that have “left our people fighting for limited resources.”
This has given space to agent provocateurs to lead the looting of small businesses and malls in cities and townships.
Julius Malema
He called on South Africans to stop targeting fellow “poor people in our communities.”
Malema reiterated his call for unity in Africa and abolishment of borders.
We therefore make no apology when we call for African Unity, in particular renouncing the colonially imposed boarders.
Julius Malema