Malema Denounces Persecution Of Zimbabweans In SA – Eduzim News

By A Correspondent – Julius Malema has urged South Africans to resist blaming African migrants for the country’s economic and social challenges, warning that such narratives divert attention from deeper structural issues.

The Economic Freedom Fighters leader made the remarks on Thursday while addressing guests at the Collen Mashawana Foundation 14th anniversary event. His comments came as demonstrations in Pretoria and Johannesburg called for the removal of undocumented migrants.

Malema argued that hostility toward black foreign nationals echoes tactics used during apartheid, where divisions were deliberately created to weaken resistance.

“Fellow Africans, and you don’t realise that the same people who paid to fight each other during apartheid are the same ones who are doing the same,” he said.

“The provinces that are fighting black-on-black violence are the same that did during apartheid. The tribe that is fighting black-on-black violence is the one that did during apartheid.”

He rejected claims that immigrants, particularly Zimbabweans, are responsible for job losses, instead saying they often take up low-paying work that many locals avoid.

“At the centre of black-on-black hatred is a state-sponsored and capitalistically sponsored hatred to distract you from giving you economic opportunities. To blame, to make you blame wrong people for your misfortunes,” Malema said.

“There’s no Zimbabwe that took a land from you. There’s no Zimbabwe that took a tender from you. There’s no Zimbabwe that took a job from you.”

“There are no jobs. The job Zimbabwe are doing, you won’t, don’t want to do that. You are educated enough to do those slave jobs. That’s why, not that you are lazy. You are not lazy; you know your worth. And you’re refusing to do those jobs.”

Malema further claimed that powerful economic interests benefit when ordinary Africans are divided, as it prevents them from confronting inequality and land ownership disparities.

“That is what I am hated for. The people who stole your land are white conquerors, white colonialists. It is written in books, no Zimbabwean conquered you, no Nigerian conquered you,” he said.

“Why are you turning your back on what is a true reflection of who we are to want to entertain sponsored contemporary politics that seek to distract you from why you are unemployed?”

“They are moving you away. Apartheid did the same. It made the ANC fight with the IFP so that they are distracted from fighting for the liberation of South Africa. The script is the same. The writers of the script are the same people.”

“Why are you not learning from your history that you are being made stupid? Are we being taken advantage of?”
“They are repeating what they did in the past when they went into copper and made us fight one another in the hostels and kill each other. The same people are doing it today.”

“You are refusing to think. You are refusing to be critical. You are thinking about the next election. If I say this, I won’t get elected.”

His remarks add to the ongoing debate in South Africa over immigration, unemployment, and inequality, as tensions continue to rise in parts of the country.

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