Zille still in charge of DA – Malema

Pretoria – Mmusi Maimane was not in charge of the Democratic Alliance but merely put there to appeal to black voters, EFF leader, Julius Malema, said on Sunday.

"Don’t be misled by the DA. The DA has two leaders. It's Helen Zille and Mmusi Maimane. Mmusi is used to attract black voters; the real leader is Helen Zille who is the white leader of the DA," Malema told residents of Ebony Park near Midrand.

Malema mocked the DA for failing to fill the Rand Stadium during its manifesto launch on Saturday. He said the trend was started by the ANC when they couldn’t fill the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.

"Mmusi Maimane thought they wanted him and called a rally at a stadium thinking a stadium is a hall. When he got there, he realised the stadium was not going to get full. He went to his hometown of Soweto and borrowed blue curtains and put them up on the grand stands.

"People of Johannesburg said they don’t support a white party that wants to bring back white rule. They want an organisation that will fight for black people,” said Malema.

Defend the integrity of SA

He called on his supporters to show the other parties how a stadium is filled.

"We must not be like that; we must occupy the whole of Orlando. There mustn’t be space for anything. That old man [President Jacob Zuma] must be sick in his stomach when he sees Orlando Stadium full,” he said.

Malema added that going to the stadium and attending the EFF's local government elections manifesto launch was the start of the fight to protect the Constitution. He said just being at the stadium on the day was a statement to show dissatisfaction with the current leadership.

"The journey to defend the Constitution, the journey to defend the integrity of South Africa begins with you on April 30 saying enough is enough. You are not going to get a microphone but you will be sitting in the grandstand. You think sitting in the grandstand is useless?

"Let me tell you, it is not. By just sitting there, you are sending a message to them that we are enough. We are here to register our dissatisfaction and we are going to remove you because you don’t listen to us," he added.

Malema has been busy on the campaign trail visiting different communities in Gauteng as he gathers support ahead of the manifesto launch. He also visited Kaalfointein and was expected to conclude his day in Dieplsoot to listen to the concerns of the residents.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.