EFF President Julius Malema says if his party is voted into power after the upcoming local government elections, he will introduce what he calls a graduation allowance as a salary for all unemployed graduates from various tertiary institutions.  

Addressing EFF student members in the Cape Metro in Bellville Cape Town, as part of his party election campaign in the Western Cape, Malema says the incentive will go a long way in ensuring that those who are without work despite having university qualifications are financial supported while still looking for work.  

EFF student representatives from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town gave their President Julius Malema a warm welcome.  

Issues of student accommodation, the increasing fees at tertiary institutions and student debt were some of the challenges the students have highlighted.  

In his speech, Malema began by saying addressing the issue unemployment by the youths who have graduated from the universities is high on the party’s agenda.  

He says should the EFF take over, it will introduce what he calls a graduate allowance.

“There must be an allowance and it must be a proper allowance of a person who has graduated so that many generations are not discouraged from going to school. They know if I don’t go to school and I don’t get employment, government will give me a graduation allowance whilst they are still looking to create a post for me.”

Malema provided details on how this planned incentive will be implemented.

“We must have a list of everyone who graduated and names to follow them so that we know they graduated to what. But this government has got no capacity to do so.”

Despite government’s effort in encouraging everyone to get vaccinated against the COVID-19, Malema says vaccination should not be forced against the people’s will. Instead, he says there should be a campaign for the collection of DNA samples to identify the perpetrators of rape, especially in student residence.

“We don’t need to force anyone to vaccinate. But I will be happy if we can force people to go and do their DNAs. All of us in South Africa, we need to open a DNB Bank and we must be forced, all of you, because there are rapists amongst us here. But we are unable to chase them as to who are these people who raping our children in the campuses.”

Having vaccinated himself, Malema explains his reasons for doing so.

“I have vaccinated myself. No one forced me. No one will force me. As a Marxist and Leninist, I believe in science. I, therefore, don’t care about these conspiracy theories that we are going to die. They would have killed us long time ago.”

Recently, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAPHRA), had rejected the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik by citing some safety concerns. And Malema is against that decision.  

“We want Sputinik. We want Synoven. We want alternative vaccine, so that our people are not forced to be vaccinated with European arrangements of Cyril Ramaphosa. Our people must be spoiled for choice. Let those who don’t want to vaccinate don’t vaccinate.”

LGE 2021 | Malema opposed to forced COVID-19 vaccination:
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