INDEPENDENT MEDIA Supporters mob EFF leader Julius Malema as the party marked Human Rights Day by commemorating the 1960s massacre at Sharpeville. The event was held at the Langa High School. Picture: Leon LestradeCape Town - A fired-up Julius Malema on Saturday urged South Africans to tear down symbols which reminded them of apartheid, including the statue of former prime minister Louis Botha outside Parliament.
The leader of the EFF said residents should crush the statue of English colonialist Cecil John Rhodes at
UCT.
The student-led “Rhodes Must Fall” campaign has lobbied for the removal of the statue of Rhodes. It made headlines this weekend when student protesters warned they would take their fight against racism to other universities.
Malema, speaking at an EFF rally in Langa on Saturday, said he did not understand why there was a debate about whether the statue should remain on the campus or be pulled down.
“There is no discussion. Rhodes must fall,” he said.
The crowd cheered, screamed and whistled in response.
Malema said Rhodes had wanted to create a city for only white residents and had promoted white supremacy.
“It is because of this Rhodes that you and me today are still suffering… If they say it’s expensive to bring him down, the masses must crush that statue of Rhodes. It will not be expensive.
“They can hire our services. We will go and remove it free of charge,” he said.
Malema also encouraged residents to take down other statues which reminded them of apartheid.
“I’m challenging you... Revolution is not a legal activity. You must stop listening to this things like ‘This is illegal’. There’s nothing like that.
“I’m challenging you, the fighters of Western Cape, that statue of Louis Botha at Parliament, it must go down and how it goes down it’s your business. How it goes down, I’m not interested… Make a plan for that statue.”
Malema said each day locals were not just depressed by parliamentary speaker Beleka Mbete when they were at Parliament, but first by the statue of Botha.
He then urged citizens countrywide to get rid of any symbols of apartheid.
“Not only in the Western Cape, everywhere in South Africa, those who love their democracy, those who despise apartheid and everything else it represents, you have a duty to remove those symbols.”
“Stop being crybabies. You brought down apartheid. You can’t fail to bring down the symbols of apartheid. It is your duty as a revolutionary. Take it upon yourself. Prison or no prison, you must be arrested for bringing down Botha.”
Malema’s comments were met with shrieks, applause and stamping from the audience.
He went on to say he did not fear arrest for what he was telling them.
“If they want to arrest me for saying this and saying I’m inciting violence, they know where to find me. I’m not scared of them. I’m not scared of their government.
“Because this is a rotten government. I have no respect for a rotten government. I have no respect for a government which does not respect black people. I’m fighting for the dignity of black people.
“And any symbol that reminds black people that you are inferior, that symbol shall be confronted by the EFF. We are fearless.”
Weekend Argus
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