Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has ordered his followers to occupy land.

"Land grab is when people go and forcefully remove others from occupied land. We are not talking about that," said Malema, denying ordering land grabs.

"We are saying there is too much abandoned land in South Africa, some owned by foreigners... and some by the government. So we are saying to our people it is time to start occupying the unoccupied land."

He said people should not lose patience when the police continued to knock down their structures.

"They must never lose patience. They must continue to build until the police get tired."

Malema told the newspaper that with determination the people would stay on the occupied land and their unity would make them rise above any difficulty.

"They will stay. With their determination to occupy the land, no one will defeat the people. Not even the state will defeat the people. Not even the police will defeat the people. The unity of the people will make them rise above any difficulty," he said.