Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema arrived to rapturous applause from a packed hall in Groutville in KwaDukuza on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast on Saturday afternoon.

Some EEF supporters‚ mostly young people and a few Indians‚ jumped onto their seats to get a clear glimpse of Malema on the stage while others snapped his picture with their cellphones.

No sooner had Malema arrived‚ he burst into song led by EFF national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to the delight of his enthusiastic supporters.

Malema continued with his war-like rhetoric from an earlier election campaign in Esikhawini in Empangeni where EFF supporters were pelted with stones by ANC supporters.

“We want free and fair elections and free and fair elections will not take place where there is violence‚” he said‚ referring to clashes earlier between ANC and EFF supporters.

He said people should be free to choose a political party of their own choice.

Malema said the EFF will continue shaking the National Assembly because President Jacob Zuma and the ANC were sleeping.

“We are going to fight until we remove that man‚” he said in reference to Zuma.

“SA is going to be another failed African state but the EFF will rescue with rescue SA.

He dismissed as “nonsense” that the EFF was fighting Zuma because he was a Zulu but said his party would fight any leader who is corrupt.

“We must fight tribalism because it is dividing this country‚” he said.

Earlier in Esikhawini‚ police had to form a human shield to separate ANC supporters and EFF supporters.

TMG Digital/Durban Bureau