Zuma punts ‘economic freedom’

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has called on young people to lead the charge for radical socioeconomic transformation.

“We got political freedom, today we are saying economic freedom must come to the owners of the country. As the youth, you must know that you are the soldiers who must fight this battle for economic freedom,” Zuma said

Speaking at a Youth Day celebration in Hammarsdale, Zuma said there was an urgent need for a fundamental change in the structure of the economy in favour of all South Africans, especially the poor, most of whom are female.

“This is a struggle you must wage vigorously knowing that when we start talking radical economic transformation, those who hold the economy won’t like it because you are removing a system that makes them rich,” Zuma said.

He added that it was the right of the youth to fight for economic freedom.

At the event organised by the eThekwini municipality, Zuma was welcomed by hundreds of young people who had come to listen to programmes for their development by the municipality.

He called on the youth to emulate leaders like Chris Hani and Nelson Mandela, who fought for freedom “fearlessly”.

He said political freedom without addressing the economy was an incomplete democracy and told the youth that it was their job to redefine both democracy and freedom.

“The youth of June 16, 41 years ago, died for political and economic freedom that we were denied by being given an inferior education.

“Today you are given opportunities, what are we doing about those?

“That is a critical challenge to the young people. That’s why it is more than correct to apply policies that are radical, revolutionary, that are changing the status quo economically,” he said.