THE LEADER of the EFF, Mr. Julius Malema, says that his arrest for firing a gun puts him on the same level as ANC veterans who were arrested for political crimes including the first president under the democratic government, Mr. Nelson Mandela, the former leader of the ANC, Mr. Oliver Tambo, and the former general secretary of the ANC, Mr. Walter Sisulu.
Malema said that if he is being held under coercion that he will not serve a prison sentence, he should be imprisoned in the prison on the island where Mandela and other activists were held, Robben Island.
He said this while speaking at an event for the EFF youth team tasked to run the local government election campaign.
Malema was sentenced to five years in prison for firing a gun.
He is challenging his sentence. He said he will not step down because he was convicted of a political crime.
“I was arrested for a political crime. I was arrested for something I did in a political party. If they want to arrest me, they should open Robbeni Island. I will not be put in prison with criminals. I am not a criminal. I am at the level of Mandela, Sisulu and Tambo. I am not a criminal. They did not catch me stealing, I did not kill anyone. I did something related to politics at a political party event. Now they want to arrest me for that.”
Malema said those who want him arrested want to silence him.
“They don’t want me to continue telling the truth because they don’t understand the truth.”
Malema said he will continue to fight even if he is not arrested.
He urged the youth to go out and register to vote as there will be local government elections in November.
There will be a voter registration weekend next month.
The youth of this country are strong in voting.
Malema said that young people’s voting in the upcoming elections could cause the old parties not to see what they are doing.
“If you are aware that the ANC, DA and IFP are not coming to persuade people to register to vote. It is because they want there to be no change in the list of people who have registered to vote.”
Malema said the youth should stand up for the problems facing their communities.
“You should not end up being activists only in institutions of higher education. You should address the problems plaguing your communities because if you hide in institutions of higher education, you will find these problems waiting for you at home when you finish studying.”