Malema wants to “destroy right wing onslaught by ugly Helen Zille”

EFF leader Julius Malema has called for unity among the forces of the political Left in the face of what he regards as a right wing onslaught by “that ugly Helen Zille”, white monopoly capital, the Ramaphosa-led ANC government and Afriforum.

Malema told about 4 000 cheering delegates at the EFF’s People’s Assembly (its equivalent of a national conference) at Nasrec south of Johannesburg that those who constituted the right wing onslaught must be destroyed by leftist forces including the EFF and trade unions Numsa and Amcu.

All indications were that Malema would be the only nominee for the EFF Presidency, with nominations and elections for the party’s six top leadership elections taking place very late Saturday night and into the small hours of Sunday morning, and results to be announced mid-morning Sunday.

EFF unlikely to support National Health Insurance

In an important development, the EFF leader confirmed that his party was very weary of, and unlikely to support, the government’s proposed plans for national health insurance (NHI) in its current form, because although the red berets support the principle of NHI, it viewed the proposed funding model as completely unrealistic and had no faith in the present government to implement it successfully as a bulwark of quality health care.

On expropriation without compensation, Malema said the EFF has not submitted its proposal for the amendment of section 25 of the Constitution (the property clause) yet, but it will be doing so in due course. He reiterated that any amendment would have to conform with EFF policy as set out in its non-negotiable policy pillars, and that the EFF would not be supporting any ANC proposal if it did not fundamentally and meaningfully changed the present situation.

Malema put on record the EFF’s commitment to the rule of law and democracy. He said although the party might criticise judgments, it would not attack the integrity of judges and would accept the eventual outcome of the judicial process.

That is why it opposed the removal of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office – it believed every report by her office should be judges on its own merit and that there is more than enough space to challenge it in court when she errs – as she does – by taking it on judicial review, but that the incumbent must be supported in the same way the EFF always supported, respected and never personally attacked Thuli Madonsela when she was Public Protector.

Malema fires back at detractors

Without specifically referencing certain DA leaders, Malema also attacked those who called the EFF fascist, calling it intellectual dwarfism which could only mean those who made the accusations either are lazy thinkers, or did not study history, or failed to comprehend fascism, or were merely being vacuously insulting.

In his speech, which lasted three hours, Malema included a researched historic overview of fascist philosophy, contrasting it with the EFF’s belief in democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and of the media, its rejection of violence, homophobia, xenophobia and nationalism. Its insistence on human rights and its opposition to centralised leadership and leadership cults – thus proposing that the facts mitigate against any accusation of fascism by the EFF.

And in apparent reaction to those who criticise the expensive tastes of some EFF leaders, Malema contended that you did not have to live in a squatter camp, be dirty or ride a bicycle to be able to fight for the improvement of the wretched life of South Africa’s poor.

The EFF’s national people’s assembly continues until Monday.