Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema condemned recent xenophobic attacks saying no African must be called “kwerekwere” (foreigner) in South Africa.
Malema was launching the party’s provincial manifesto to 2,000 or more supporters at the Walter Sisulu University stadium in Mthatha on Saturday.
The stadium was a sea of EFF red as supporters, arrived, some in a fleet of over 50 minibus taxis, clad in party colours.
Members gathered on the grandstands singing struggle songs and anti-ANC songs, waving their red flags.
The crowd cheered when Malema arrived flanked by his commissars Floyd Shivambu and Dali Mpofu, and when he took to the stage followers erupted with cheers, whistles and applause.
“We must love one another as Africans because showing love to someone from Mozambique, Guinea, Egypt and Nigeria is self love. If you love yourself you will love fellow Africans.
“You say they are stealing jobs but that is not true! There are white people here with no papers, there are Chinese people here with no papers but you don’t call them amakwerekwere and you don’t attack them but you beat fellow Africans, why? Because you hate yourself.
“Love yourself so much that when you see a Nigerian you must see yourself.”
Malema dismissed claims that foreigners were the perpetrators of crime.
“We must fight criminals whether they are South African or not, because our own South Africans are raping children and killing women.
“It is not only foreigners who commit crime,” he said.
Malema said if anyone denounced the EFF because of its support of fellow Africans, “they can take their vote and give it to the next party because the EFF does not want a vote for xenophobia.
“We want a vote of people who love themselves, who love black people, who protect black people because black people are hated everywhere. Fighters, when you see black, defend it,” said Malema.
Malema said the fight for land was a continuation of the fight of the ancestors, who also fought to restore that which was stolen from their ancestors.
“On May 8 if you vote for the EFF you are voting for land. We want our land back.”
He took a swipe at the ANC, saying that if the EFF came into power they would arrest ANC criminals and free AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo...