Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has issued a stark warning to civil rights organisation AfriForum, saying its members should “pray that the EFF never becomes the government in South Africa.”
Speaking outside court, Malema dismissed AfriForum as “nothing” and accused the organisation of using the judiciary to settle political scores. “The white people who brought us to this court did so because they don’t like being challenged,” he said. “When you challenge them, they want to make an example of you. I will be that example for the rest of my life, even in my grave.”
Malema described AfriForum as “terrorists; they are anti-South Africa; they undermine our country, its freedom and its constitution.” He added: “We are not the ANC; we are not scared of AfriForum.”
While emphasising his respect for the law, he said he does not accept “any ruling that is unjust and doesn’t follow the constitution.” He warned that he will never be intimidated: “Nobody will ever intimidate me … I am a voice for black people. Kill me now if you want to kill me. Kill me, you cowards — you are scared of political debate, so you use the courts to settle political differences.”
Malema also spoke about the personal risks of his political career: “I am not scared of prison, nor am I scared of death. When I joined the struggle, I knew three things might happen to me: they will either arrest me or kill me, and if they don’t kill me, I will attain my freedom.”
He said the EFF’s fight is about more than personal risk, stating: “We fight for freedom; we are not scared of death or prison. What we fear is poverty, unemployment, being landless and living without our dignity as black people.”
Malema concluded by leading supporters in chanting the controversial song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.”
