Malema says 1-million EFF members a minimum: ‘It's the beginning of getting all citizens to believe in us’

EFF leader Julius Malema says he has his sights set much higher than the target of 1-million party members, which the red berets seek to achieve by December. 

Malema was speaking at a membership event in Soweto at the weekend. He said the party was in the township to reconnect “with the spirit” of young people who fought for and wanted freedom in their lifetime. 

The firebrand leader said he wanted each house in Soweto to have at least one member of the EFF, and each street to have a minimum of 10 members. He said this would enable the “ground forces” to respond in numbers if the party “called for war” one day.

He said it was important for the EFF to exist among ordinary South Africans and be accessible to them. 

“We must make society aware of who we are and what we represent. One million members is a minimum, not a maximum. Don’t say by December ‘we have 1-million members, we have arrived’. That is the beginning of getting all 54-million citizens of SA to believe in the EFF.”

He called on would-be party members to wear red clothing every Friday to symbolise their allegiance to the party.

“Anyone who belongs to the EFF, if you are not wearing red on a Friday, you are a sell-out. If you are not a sell-out, show your colours and tell them through your colours that you are proud to belong to the red battalion.”

Malema said growing the membership of the EFF would enable the party to teach its members about politics and build its defence against critics. 

“You must live among the people. The people must be a shield of the EFF. The people must rise in defence of their own organisation against those who criticise the EFF. We will not win SA if we do not conscientise the people,” he said. 

Malema’s address came a day after he concluded his testimony at the equality court during a court case launched by lobby group AfriForum against the party, Malema and MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi for allegedly singing Dubul’ ibhunu at EFF events. 

The lobby group, through legal representative advocate Mark Oppenheimer, claimed the song had incited violence and linked it to farm murders.

Malema argued that AfriForum did not have evidence to this effect. 

He sought to explain the significance of struggle songs, saying they were not meant to incite violence and should not be interpreted literally.

“The EFF seeks to challenge the system of oppression, not to incite violence against farmers. We are not targeting anyone. We are challenging a system of oppression that has robbed us of our land and economy.”

Asked whether he believed farmers were responsible for oppression, Malema said “they are beneficiaries of the system”.