Marches will bring back dignity - Malema
2011-10-19 16:38
Johannesburg - Marching to the Union Buildings in Pretoria will ensure that residents of Thembelihle, in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, would finally find dignity, ANCYL leader Julius Malema said on Wednesday.
"We need to tell the government that we want to be treated with respect. We need to bring back the dignity of black people, especially Africans," he said.
Over 600 residents gathered to hear Malema speak ahead of planned marches for economic freedom in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
"If we want to be beautiful we need to make sure there is food on our table. We will fight until we have that food," Malema said.
"Community leaders are telling us to never sell out our own people. We are going to march and if there is no answer we will not stop, we will not leave you [government] alone."
He said the residents should march to Pretoria along the M1 highway.
Malema ended his address by leading the crowd in an alternate rendition of dubula ibunu [kill the boer] called "kiss the boer" before pointing his finger at the crowd and mimicking the sounds of gunfire.
Many residents were in agreement with Malema.
"This [the march] is a good thing. We spent too many years in shacks. If there is no salt, we will fight until we get salt," an unnamed resident said.
Other residents said Malema was "talking nonsense".
"We are human beings. Kill the boer is not for us. We just want electricity and service delivery. This Julius is talking nonsense," Eric Mdluli said.
The Economic Freedom Youth Mass Action is to be held on October 27 and 28 at Beyers Naude square in central Johannesburg, the Chamber of Mines in Hollard street in Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton and at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where a night vigil is planned.
- SAPA