EFF leader Julius Malema has slammed Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini for “intimidating” people calling for expropriation of land without compensation.

Addressing a media conference on Thursday‚ Malema said South Africa was a democracy and his party had a right to disagree with Zwelithini.

“Let us not talk war‚ let us not beat war drums here. Let us come up with superior argument on why it should not be done like that‚” said Malema.

Malema said democracy meant that they must never fear. “There are no holy cows in this country. We must debate issues openly‚ including disagreeing with the Zulu king. The Zulu king must call for engagement with regards to the land. He must be respected‚ he must not be feared. I don’t fear anyone‚ no one. I only fear God‚” said Malema.

He was referring to Zwelithini’s statements that Zulu warriors were ready to defend their land.

Zwelithini was reacting to a proposal by a high-level panel‚ chaired by former president Kgalema Motlanthe‚ which found that the Ingonyama Trust Act was unconstitutional and should be repealed.

The monarch also called for every member of the Zulu nation to contribute R5 to a potential court case to prevent the repeal from happening.

This comes in the wake of a successful EFF-led motion in parliament on expropriation of land without compensation. Now‚ interested parties have a chance to submit their views and make proposals on the motion‚ which seeks to amend Section 25 of the Constitution‚ which deals with land expropriation.

“We have never promised war to the Zulu kingdom‚ we have never promised war to the Afrikaners‚ we have never promised war to the whites. We have called for engagement. So why should the response be ‘leave what you are doing otherwise you will meet the unexpected’. What type of language is this in a democratic South Africa?” said Malema.

Malema said the debate was not about war but about how to get people‚ including the Zulus‚ Vendas and Xhosas‚ to benefit from their land.

“There is no army which will go against the Zulu people‚ no army at all. There is no police which will go against the Zulu people. The Zulu king must be aware that anything else that seeks to put blacks against blacks will just lead on black-on-black violence. That’s what they are calling on‚” he said.

Malema‚ however‚ said the EFF was open to meeting with “sensible and interested parties” while the parliamentary process was ongoing.

“We are particularly willing to meet and engage with King Goodwill Zwelithini‚ the Ingonyama Trust and all traditional leadership establishments and bodies that have interest in the constitutional and policy issues that relate to land ownership‚ control and redistribution‚” he said.

Malema said there was a counter-movement forming in the country around the land expropriation without compensation resolution adopted by parliament.

“This movement brings together right-wing formations like the FF Plus‚ AfriForum and liberal market-friendly formations like the DA and Cope. Behind this movement‚ is the South African media‚ which has taken sides against the popular democratic decision‚” he said.

He said white farmers should realise that putting their farms on a mortgage was not going to help them. “The banks must also not participate in undermining land reform. The quickest way to get into a workable solution is to help facilitate equitable distribution of the land for all South Africans‚ black and white‚” he added.