EFF wants to govern KZN – Malema
Leader says it will only be possible with women’s votes
EFF leader Julius Malema yesterday said his party would seize the opportunity to govern KwaZuluNatal after next year’s general elections, but this would only be possible if the EFF received the support of the province’s women at the polls.
Malema was addressing party supporters at the Caluza Sports Centre in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, at a Women’s Day rally where he and the party’s top leadership had a roof-raising reception.
Malema’s deputy Floyd Shivambu, national chairperson Dali Mpofu, secretary-general Godrich Gardee, deputy secretary Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi, and spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi attended the rally.
“Fellow fighters, next year we’re going to the elections.
“We’ve got an opportunity now to correct this mess. But if you don’t correct it in 2019, you’ve got yourselves to blame.
“We want KwaZulu-Natal, we want to lead this province.
“We want the EFF to be everywhere in KwaZulu-Natal and please, when you work for the EFF, make sure that you target women.
“The majority of those who vote for the EFF are men, and we can’t be proud of that…
“It means we’re doing something wrong,” Malema said. “We are not governing in KwaZulu-Natal, because women are not voting for us; we must go all out and get their vote. It’s there… it’s waiting for us; they are waiting for us to change our conduct… they are waiting for us to reach out to them. They are waiting for us to address their issues, and not only to talk about their issues,” Malema said.
He urged political parties not to be threatened by women leadership, instead to empower women.
“Let’s support them and let’s respect them. When we say the deputy secretary-general (Mkhaliphi) is going to chair a meeting, you must give her the same respect you give to the national chairperson (Mpofu),” Malema said.
He said when they are calling for the empowerment of women, they meant black women… And particularly African women.
“We’re not fighting with the Indians, we’re saying they should wait a bit, because we’re still busy with black people.
“We’re not fighting with the whites, we’re still busy with the black agenda. When we are done, we will go to the Indians and then to the whites.
“They must know that for as long as a black person is not liberated, we will continue to fight for a black child,” Malema said.
He slammed Rhodes University, saying Khensani Maseko would still be alive if the university had listened to women who had exposed the culture of rape at the institution.
Maseko, 23, a third-year student at Rhodes, committed suicide last week after allegedly being raped in May.
Malema said when women marched and raised alarm bells around the culture of rape at Rhodes, they were expelled for saying that a rape culture existed there.
“Rhodes must be ashamed, because today one of our own is dead.” Malema said the university was being hypocritical in its “pretentious mourning” of Maseko, because it had allowed a culture of rape to persist, when it had a chance to prevent it.
“EFF Student Command, please become security guards at all the universities, fight this rape culture where you see it.
“You must never allow our children to be raped on the campuses and in the hostels.
“Anywhere you hear a woman screaming, find her.
“Fighters, you’ve got a way of connecting, call each other to go and rescue that woman.
“Don’t allow any university to protect a rape culture,” Malema said.