African National Congress leaders flew into the Northern Cape on Saturday, danced and sang with a Kimberley crowd, while critising “small” parties in an election blitz in the province.
President Jacob Zuma, ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, Northern Cape premier Hazel Jenkins and other ANC alliance leaders were harried into the Galeshewe stadium in Kimberley to an expectant crowd.
“People are fed propaganda,” Zuma said, referring to a citizen’s complaint about service delivery.
He said the message since Nelson Mandela’s tenure as president was that “it would take time” to bring change in South Africa for all its citizens.
“The work for democracy is going on, vote or no vote.”
Zuma told the rally that citizens saying on television they would not vote in the local government elections due to service delivery problems was an expression of the “wrong logic”.
He said people should vote for the only party with a history “for them” and who had produced great leaders who gave their lives for the fight for freedom.
Before Zuma’s address, Malema said citizens could not complain about the lack of service delivery while they were watering the lawn in front of an RDP (reconstruction and development) house.
“When protesting they burn tyres on a tar road, but they complain no delivery.”
Malema also called for the nationalisation of mines.
“We had done everything in fighting poverty but we do not have money.”
He said the ANC would fight until the mines were owned by the country’s people and “we’re not asking for permission”.
Malema said the country’s land “being turned into game farms” should be taken away without payment.
“We all agree they stole the land. They are criminals, they should be treated like that.”
He referred to the Inkatha Freedom Party as the “culture” group, while the “People of the Congress” was a party formed in anger.
“Never form a party when you are angry, when you smile that party is over,” Malema told a cheering crowd.
Zuma also broke into his trademark song Awuleth’ Umshini Wami (Bring me my Machine gun). – Sapa