South African “should move from the Nelson Mandela era of reconciliation towards economic justice”‚ Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema said on Monday.
The commander-in-chief didn’t mention the late statesman’s 27 years in prison‚ but the number featured prominently in his statement assessing last week’s march in Johannesburg in which up to 50000 people are said to have taken part.
“On the 27th of October 2015‚” Malema said‚ the EFF was “blessed…to be leading dedicated‚ relentless and fearless activists‚ ground forces and commissars who were willing to walk for more than 27km to hoist and make demands for economic freedom”.
Malema claimed that last week’s march outdid the “economic freedom in our lifetime” 60km‚ and “should be in the records of history to be celebrated by many generations to come”.
“Of course the great Economic Freedom March we led on the 27th of October 2015 is reminiscent of the Economic Freedom March we led in October 2011‚ despite the obvious reality that the 2015 March was qualitatively and quantitatively superior to the 2011 March‚” Malema said.
“This is an illustration that the people of South Africa are getting more conscious of the consistent message we have preached‚ that political power without economic power is meaningless and that South Africa should move from the Nelson Mandela era of reconciliation towards economic justice.
“The ruling party and the largely liberal and reactionary media will of course bury their heads in the sand‚ but the political‚ historical and ideological significance of the 2015 Economic Freedom March carry the same weight as the many political developments in South Africa‚ in particular at the beginning of the anti-pass law campaigns in March 1960 and the beginning of the students’ uprising in June 16‚ 1976.”
‘Economic Freedom March will carry same weight as 1976 students uprising’
The commander-in-chief didn’t mention the late statesman’s 27 years in prison‚ but the number featured prominently in his statement assessing last week’s march in Johannesburg in which up to 50000 people are said to have taken part.
“On the 27th of October 2015‚” Malema said‚ the EFF was “blessed…to be leading dedicated‚ relentless and fearless activists‚ ground forces and commissars who were willing to walk for more than 27km to hoist and make demands for economic freedom”.
Malema claimed that last week’s march outdid the “economic freedom in our lifetime” 60km‚ and “should be in the records of history to be celebrated by many generations to come”.
“Of course the great Economic Freedom March we led on the 27th of October 2015 is reminiscent of the Economic Freedom March we led in October 2011‚ despite the obvious reality that the 2015 March was qualitatively and quantitatively superior to the 2011 March‚” Malema said.
“This is an illustration that the people of South Africa are getting more conscious of the consistent message we have preached‚ that political power without economic power is meaningless and that South Africa should move from the Nelson Mandela era of reconciliation towards economic justice.
“The ruling party and the largely liberal and reactionary media will of course bury their heads in the sand‚ but the political‚ historical and ideological significance of the 2015 Economic Freedom March carry the same weight as the many political developments in South Africa‚ in particular at the beginning of the anti-pass law campaigns in March 1960 and the beginning of the students’ uprising in June 16‚ 1976.”
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