South Africa’s opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has refused to mourn Queen Elizabeth II following her demise on Thursday.
In a statement released shortly after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the EFF reminded the global community how her passing was a reminder of how she led an institution that lived off a brutal legacy of dehumanisation of millions of people across the world.
“We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth because to us, her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africa’s history,” said the party in a statement.
EFF argues that Queen Elizabeth was a beneficiary of the wealth accumulated from colonialism and never once condemned or acknowledged the atrocities inflicted on native people that Britain invaded across the world.
“Britain, under the leadership of the royal family, took over control of this territory that would become South Africa in 1795 from Batavian control, and took permanent control of the territory in 1806.”
The party said from that moment onwards, native people of this land had never known peace or enjoyed the fruits of the riches of the land. And till today, those riches were still enriching the British royal family.
The EFF said the country’s experience of Britain, under the leadership of the royal family led by the queen, was one of pain and suffering, death and dispossession as well as dehumanisation of African people.
“We remember how Nxele (Xhosa warrior who led Battle of Grahamstown in 1819) died in the aftermath of the fifth frontier war; how King Hintsa was killed like a dog on 11 May 1835 during the sixth frontier war, had his body mutilated and his head taken to Britain as a trophy.”
The political party stated that she willingly benefited from the wealth obtained from the exploitation and murder of millions of people across the world.
“The British royal family stands on the shoulders of millions of slaves who were shipped away from the continent to serve the interests of racist white capital accumulation, at the centre of which lies the British royal family,” the EFF said.
The party said the departed queen, during her lifetime, never acknowledged these crimes and in fact, was a proud flag bearer of these atrocities.
“If there is really life and justice after death, may Elizabeth and her ancestors get what they deserve,” it concluded.
