A group of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members from KwaZulu-Natal wants party leader, Julius Malema, to retract his statements and apologise to Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini for his remarks about land under the Ingonyama Trust.
During a previous media briefing the EFF leader allegedly said people shouldn’t feel threatened to openly raise their views about the land under Ingonyama Trust.
“There is no rural or urban land in our vocabulary. There is South African land. All of it must be taken and the state must be the custodian of that land and re-allocate it to our people. That’s including land owned by Ingonyama Trust.”
“Let us come up with superior arguments on why it should not be done like that. There are no holy cows in this country. We must debate issues openly, including disagreeing with (the) Zulu King. Democracy means we must never fear anything that seeks to instil fear.”
In 2017, the High Level Panel on Assessment and Fundamental Change, chaired by former President Kgalema Montlante recommended that the Ingonyama Trust Act should be dissolved and the land be transferred to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini is the sole trustee of the Ingonyama Trust which controls almost all land in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Now some party members from the uThungulu Region, on the north coast, demand Malema to apologise to the monarch.
EFF Regional Chairperson Bheki Shabane says they are disappointed with Malema’s response to their letter.
“We decided to write a letter to his attention where we asked him to withdraw such remarks against the majesty, the Zulu King, and a few hours later he responded via his ipad that we must all go to hell. Our President of the EFF is disregarding our kingship.”
“We want Malema to go and withdraw the remarks. We want Malema to definitely go and apologise to his majesty, King of the Zulus.”
The EFF’s Uthungulu regional leadership says they’ve arranged a meeting with the party’s National Spokesperson, Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi to discuss their concerns.
Ndlozi couldn’t be reached for comment.
Related video click below:
