Party vows to build RDP houses in Sandton
EFF leader Julius Malema yesterday delivered his party’s socialist-inclined manifesto geared towards alleviating the lives of the poor.
Malema also volunteered to be one of the first residents in Sandton to pay a property wealth tax for living in the upmarket area.
He also singled out his party’s former national chairperson, advocate Dali Mpofu, to be next in line to pay the tax if his party took control of the City of Joburg and other municipalities in the country.
The EFF leader also vowed to build RDP houses next to affluent areas of Sandton in Joburg and other wealthy areas in the country.
Those living in such areas, including Houghton, would be expected to pay a “property wealth tax” to subsidise SA Social Security Agency grant recipients.
Malema also promised tax rebates to small businesses that were ready to revive defunct factories and create job opportunities for unemployed people.
He made these revelations at the launch of his party’s manifesto and 85th birthday celebrations of Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at Gandhi Square in the Joburg CBD yesterday.
The events culminated in the naming of the EFF headquarters at Gandhi Square after Madikizela-Mandela.
The EFF’s manifesto, according to Malema, captured the needs of all the people including the rural poor and those deprived of fishing licences.
In his address, he captured the attention of more than 15 000 people who came to the launch, saying the EFF government “was going to identify land next to Sandton to build RDP houses”.
“We belong to each other and you must live together,” Malema said.
Malema also announced that his party was going to introduce a “Property Wealth Tax” to all those who reside in suburban areas of South Africa.
This was a reversal of a similar comment he made two weeks ago, while addressing supporters at Bophelong in the Vaal. In that address, he insinuated that only white people would be expected to make such a payment to subsidise those who were recipients of Sassa grants.
During his address at Gandhi Square, he made a U-turn, saying: “The property wealth tax will affect those who live in big houses and have big yards. We are going to tax them because they are rich, they must subsidise the poor.
“It means Dali (Mpofu SC) who lives in Houghton must pay for a person. Including myself ... I live in Sandton. I must pay the property wealth tax,” Malema said.
The tax was to ensure that recipients of Sassa grants and indigent families would be subsidised for water and electricity.
Yesterday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s family welcomed the decision of the EFF to name its headquarters in Gandhi Square after the Struggle icon, especially on her 85th birthday.
Madikizela-Mandela’s family members were led by her daughter Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, South Africa’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, who flew from her host country to celebrate her mother’s birthday with the EFF.
In her address, after viewing the building which was previously occupied by the ANC Joburg region, Mandela-Dlamini said: “I flew all the way from the Republic of Korea to be with you on my mother’s birthday. My family wants me to tell you how much we appreciate the EFF in that it has never and will never forget my mother.
“Her memory lies in each and everyone of us. We tShank you for keeping her legacy alive.”