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Land ownership the key to struggle for free education‚ says Malema

Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema is pictured ahead of President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town, South Africa. Picture Credit: REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham
Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters Julius Malema is pictured ahead of President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town, South Africa. Picture Credit: REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said the struggle for a free education will not end until students own land.

Speaking at #FeesMustFall leader Bonginkosi Khanyile’s bail appeal at the Constitutional Court on Wednesday‚ Malema said: “The movement must know [you will] fight for fees to fall every year for the rest of your life because your children are going to join the struggle.

“You will never achieve it under this generation because you don’t have the land. Before you get free education‚ you must get the land.

“The land facilitates your entry into the economy‚” said Malema. “If you don’t have entry into the economy‚ you will never have entry into education.

“We have one common enemy and that is white monopoly capital. It must be crushed because they robbed us of our mineral resources and everything else beautiful that comes with this land‚ including dagga‚ by the way. It belongs to us.

Malema aid there was nothing radical about expropriation of land without compensation.

 “The land must belong to our people. There is nothing radical about expropriation of land without compensation.

“We must never retreat on the question of the land. They must take us to jail; they must imprison us. That has been the struggle of black people.

“This is not Julius Malema’s struggle. This struggle belongs to many generations before us. What we are doing is to continue with the legacy of Robert Sobukwe‚ of Steve Biko and many others.

“Don’t waste time… because the land belongs to all of you.”

Malema called on all black people‚ regardless of political affiliation‚ to unite in defence of black students and continue to fight for a free education.

“Don’t kill one another… the struggle for black people belongs to all of us irrespective of political affiliation.

Malema said people should not use the outcome of the local government elections to judge his party’s success.

“It takes a long time for people to understand what you stand for. The ANC was formed in 1912 and it only took power in 1994. Atleast there is something we can learn from the real ANC: don’t get tired.”

 

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