Kimberley - EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema punted education as the ticket out of poverty and suffering at a rally that was held at the Galeshewe circle on Wednesday afternoon.
Malema visited Barkly West and Kimberley on Wednesday on the last leg of his campaign trail before the nation heads to the voting booths next week.
“I am here to make education fashionable. Let us not compete for material things, let us compete for knowledge that cannot be taken away from us. Education and jobs are on the same WhatsApp group,” said Malema.
He advocated for free, compulsory, quality schooling and university education and for employees to be appointed on the basis of their education. “You must not be employed because you are a member or part of a faction of the ANC.”
Before he took to the podium, EFF members sang songs such as “Kiss the boer, kiss the farmer, shoot to kill”.
They also chanted “down Zamani Saul down”, while Malema took a swipe at former ANC provincial chairperson John Block for being in prison.
He also took no prisoners when it came to national ANC leaders, where he had a field day with the Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini for her “penchant for whisky”, as well as “imagine-this-in-your-mouth” Malusi Gigaba who became infamous for his sex tapes.
CIC @Julius_S_Malema addressing a community meeting in Galeshewe this late afternoon #CICinNorthernCape #VoteEFF #OurLandAndJobsNow pic.twitter.com/SXwD3PPjKu
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) April 24, 2019
Our President and CIC @Julius_S_Malema never leaves a meeting without shaking hands with his people.
Today he even donated his cap #CICinNorthernCape pic.twitter.com/cNXkPCrZbC
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) April 24, 2019
Malema called for a restructuring of government, where all deputy ministers, including the deputy president, and all other “frivolous” portfolios are removed.
“These ministers do nothing. They are useless and only become useful on payday. We are paying for their offices and staff in Pretoria and Cape Town, as well as their accommodation, catering and travel expenses. If we cut this by half, we will save the money and give it to our grandparents who are taking care of our children. They will not squander the money, or use it to buy alcohol.”
He pointed out that RDP houses and government handouts were funded by taxpayers.
“It is not ANC money. People should be ashamed to accept a social grant. We do not want people to be dependent on state grants and food parcels. They must earn their own salaries so that they can buy their own things. We want independent thinkers who are not Zoompified.”
Malema believed that in “order to restore dignity”, low-cost houses should have at least two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room.
“We want this land, we will bring you the land. You won’t have to pay rent,” he added.
Malema said that nurses, teachers and police officers had to be paid decent salaries.
“If you pay people properly, they will not be tempted to accept bribes. Our teachers are depressed and stressed, after 50 years in the profession they can only afford to drive to school in a Corolla. How can prison warders be respected when an inmate said that he was still waiting to be repaid a loan of R100 that he had borrowed to a prison warder?”