ANC Youth League president Julius Malema went on a racist tirade yesterday, calling for white people to be shot and accused them of being rapists.

Malema led students at the University of Johannesburg in a song saying: "Shoot the boere, they are rapists."

He also reminded his audience that while they should forgive whites for apartheid, they should not forget.

"Mandela taught us to forgive them but we must not forget," he said.

Human Rights Commission spokesperson Vincent Moaga said those who felt aggrieved by the song could approach the commission.

ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu declined to comment.

Malema dared the police to arrest him should they establish that he broke the laws of the country by not paying his tax.

"I am not above the law. If there is any crime I have committed I am asking to be arrested," Malema said.

He also called on the SA Revenue Service (Sars) to access his bank account and should they find millions of rands he allegedly amassed through tenders, to "nationalise" the money.

"I am giving you permission to take everything you find in my account and give it to the poor. I will never steal from the poor. I know poverty. I am a child of a domestic worker who died poor."

Malema then turned to Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, whom he attacked for his recent call for lifestyle audits.

He said lifestyle audits were not Vavi's concepts and had been conducted in previous years by the Scorpions and Sars.

"Last year alone Sars conducted more than 10000 lifestyle audits. Why should we be subjected to a factional lifestyle audit which is aimed at destroying people. I will never be ambushed or intimidated.

"It is the people of Alexandra who can call me to come and account, not the people of Sandton."

He called on the students to march to the offices of the Department of Higher Education to demand free education. "Stop toyi-toying here. Go where free education must be provided."