×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Corrupt officials and politicians belong in prison – Malema

'ANC obsessed with looting, student housing their next target'

Thulani Mbele Running Matters
EFF leader Julius Malema during an interview with podcaster Rams Mabote on Taking the Rams by the Horn podcast with Sowetanlive discussing corruption, ANC and the upcoming elections.
EFF leader Julius Malema during an interview with podcaster Rams Mabote on Taking the Rams by the Horn podcast with Sowetanlive discussing corruption, ANC and the upcoming elections.
Image: Thulani Mbele

EFF leader Julius Malema says his party will send corrupt officials and politicians to prison if elected to power in the upcoming elections. 

Speaking during an interview with SowetanLIVE podcaster Rams Mabote on Taking the Rams by the Horn podcast, Malema said the reason corruption prevailed was because it was not punishable, and people were still to see anything happen to leaders who had been caught out.

He said the EFF would make examples of those caught being corrupt. 

“It is corruption that has made people paralysed in their responsibilities and indecisive,” he said. Malema cited politicians who were implicated in the state capture commission of inquiry over receiving money from Bosasa who were yet to be charged.

“Gwede Mantashe, he never refused, he said Bosasa put the cameras [at his home], he admitted it. Then Thabang Makwetla says I am waiting for an invoice [for security upgrades done by Bosasa at his home] after five years or so, what madness is that?,” he said.

“Nomvula [Mokonyane] admitted to have eaten the chickens, she was given chickens [by Bosasa]. None of them have denied these allegations but they are still to be charged, and yet they serve under a ‘corrupt-free, clean, president’.”

Malema accused the ANC of being obsessed with looting, saying the biggest target now was student accommodation as their cash cow.

“The recent stats are making them doubt they will come back, they have gone on an aggressive looting [spree]. There is no single politician who is not interested in student accommodation because that is where the money is. They say student accommodation will resolve their long-term problem, because they are leaving,” he said.

Malema claimed that because of corruption in some municipalities, city managers were more powerful than the mayor and executive combined.  

“They were telling me of one of the city managers chairing a mayoral committee when the mayor must chair. So, you can see she has paid all of them and no one can tell her anything. I can never be a leader when my subordinate climbs on top of my head,” Malema said. 

Asked how he planned to deal with corruption, Malema said that public officials found to be corrupt must be sent to prison and made an example of. 

When Mabote pointed out to him that in China corruption would not be allowed and that they executed people for it, Malema said: “yah for good reasons”.

“It [corruption] has to be punishable. When we hire you as a city manager after we fired the corrupt one and arrested him, we must take your children and your wife to prison to see the person who occupied this position before you, and we tell them that if your husband follows the footsteps of this guy, he is going to end up here. So that when you come back home with a BMW 7 series your family must ask you where did you get the 7 series. It must start at home, it must be a collective responsibility to nip it in the bud,” he said. 

Listen to the full interview in the episode of Taking the Rams by the Horns podcast on SowetanLive on Thursday.

LISTEN HERE : 

Subscribe for free episodes: iono.fm | Spotify | Apple Podcast | Pocket Casts | Player.fm

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.