POLICE Minister and ANC executive member Nathi Mthethwa yesterday warned against "dangerous" elements that play with poor people's hearts and needs by claiming a march to Pretoria will immediately improve lives.

In a clear attack on the ANC Youth League and its planned economic freedom march to the Chamber of Mines, Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Union Buildings to demand nationalisation of mines and expropriation of land without compensation, Mthethwa said: "Don't listen to those who think they will march to Pretoria and things will change overnight because they are dangerous."

Mthethwa was addressing the South African Democratic Teachers Union's KwaZulu-Natal 7th triennial conference in Durban.

Mthethwa also took a swipe at "demagogues" who were "spitting fire to fan the flames of conflict and disunity in society, let alone in the movement".

"Those who do that do so in order to be seen as more revolutionary than anyone else, when in fact they are empty phrase-mongers," he said.

He told delegates that economic change do not happen overnight.

He made reference to China, explaining that it took many decades for the Asian country to develop their economy to become what it is today - the world's fastest growing economy.

"In order to build a united and coherent Sadtu to advance and defend quality public education and build socialism, we need to behave like true revolutionaries whose purpose in this world is to change the world for the better," he said.

"In doing this, there are no quick fixes. Like the road to social progress, it is always under construction."