Cape Town – Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Julius Malema deflected the issue of illegal immigration in South Africa, saying that the electricity crisis and unemployment are bigger problems for the South African people.
Speaking to SABC News Political Editor Mzwandile Mbeje, Malema highlighted the issues burdening the country.
“Illegal immigration is not a big problem for our people. Our problem as we sit, me and you here, is the electricity problem. Let’s return Eskom to its former glory. Let’s capacitate it.
“We need to deal with issues of unemployment. How do you deal with unemployment? You need to industrialise, you need to make sure as many manufacturing companies as possible are allowed to function and you need to open new industries and protect the infant industries that create jobs for our people.
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“Decentralise industrialisation and incentivise those who open industries in the remote areas. In that way you create jobs for people in rural areas and in urban areas,” The EFF leader added.
The EFF leader touched on the issue of a crime rate that currently plagues the country.
“You need to liberate the generals of the Police. Not necessarily police, from the criminal syndicate. You need to remove the leadership of the police from the payroll of criminals.
“One man once told me that, ‘the people who get arrested for committing crime, is because they don’t commit it with the police. If you want to commit crime, you need to work with the police for you to be successful.
“We’ve got highly sophisticated and capacitated police in South Africa who can not be defeated by anything. Once you see them not catching the suspect, you must know that somehow their leadership is involved in the crimes. Where they are not involved, they execute,” Malema said.
EFF’s Desired National Shutdown
Malema, echoing the beliefs of his party, said that a national shutdown would make the African National Congress (ANC) aware of the general public’s unsatisfactory feelings towards the ruling party’s methods of governance, leading to a “better South Africa”.
“The situation is dire as is with or without the shutdown actually we stand to be in a more worse situation and only when the President and the ruling party see the people standing up and saying we have given you chance and you are not coming to the party that could be a turning point for the better in South Africa.”
“Why do you have to see it with one eye? What if it becomes the turning point and things become better for the country with the stepping down of the president and the new president coming in and saying, “I have heard you and things will start being done differently,” Malema said.
Watch the full interview here:
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Compiled by Junaid Benjamin
