Cape Town - Hundreds of EFF supporters commemorated the arrival of Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck at the Cape 370 years ago with an anti-colonial march to the Remgro offices of business tycoon Johann Rupert, demanding land redistribution.
Redubbed “Land Day”, the party supporters braved the cold and wet weather on Wednesday and marched to also show their disdain for the arrival of white settlers in South Africa on April 6, 1652, when they said the problems of South Africa began.
The EFF also demanded an independent audit report of Rupert’s tax records and public disclosure of all his offshore accounts and his foreign economic interests. It also demanded disclosure of the living, working and remuneration conditions of farmworkers on Rupert’s properties.
It demanded disclosure of the corporate social investments made by Rupert personally and his entities in South African communities, in particular those around his properties.
Rupert was given 14 days to respond.
Rupert and his family own multiple farms and have shares and investments in various companies, including FNB, Discovery, Mediclinic, Rainbow Chicken, Nola Mayonnaise, 5 Star Special Maize Meal and Klipdrift.
EFF leader Julius Malema, who led the march, demanded that Rupert voluntarily release the land before what he called an upcoming revolution. Malema said poverty among black people was caused by the lack of land ownership.
Malema said Rupert’s riches came from stealing and the exploitation of black people. He said farmworkers were not adequately paid but instead were remunerated with alcohol, adding that Rupert had no regard for black people and their dignity.
“Only now the EFF has occupied land and called it Azania. We want more of such occupations so we take our land and allow us to stay and farm. We want commercial land, to own properties and wine farms,” he said.
Malema said 370 years since the arrival of the settlers, black people lived in squalor while their lives remained in trauma, landlessness and dispossession.
“They have stolen from us. Whether it’s those living, as long as they have stolen goods they are criminals because they inherited this land. The ones who say they bought this land did so from the money of proceeds of crime that came from the exploitation of black people.
“Rupert and his family and the Oppenheimers and many other rich white families in South Africa are the faces of the land criminals that were committed in this country,” he said.
@Julius_S_Malema: "Johan Rupert's riches come out of stealing from black people. He has no regard for black people and their dignity" @IOL @TheCapeArgus @EFFSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/rt0gJLcPe0
— Mthuthuzeli Ntseku (@Mtuzeli) April 6, 2022
EFF ward councillor Zola Ndalasi said the area had hectares of dormant land owned by white people, while black and young people had no places to call their own.
“Our young people have shown an appetite to also acquire land for farming as unemployment is at its highest.
However, when it is the black person who requires such land, the municipality disregards you while there are hectares lying dormant,” he said.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo says EFF CIC @Julius_S_Malema is expected to arrive anytime from now @IOL @TheCapeArgus @EFFSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/RtOWzqRLZq
— Mthuthuzeli Ntseku (@Mtuzeli) April 6, 2022
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo says the party is protesting to show its disdain for the arrival of white settlers in South Africa on 6 April 1652 @IOL @TheCapeArgus @EFFSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/UoahiyaeVQ
— Mthuthuzeli Ntseku (@Mtuzeli) April 6, 2022
Monica Hickman of Remgro Limited, who received the EFF memorandum on behalf of Rupert, said he was overseas.
Remgro Limited manager of investor relations, Lwanda Zingitwa, said: “I can confirm that Remgro is in receipt of the memorandum from the EFF on behalf of our chairperson. He will respond within 14 days as requested. We do not wish to comment further on the march.”