South African leader of the opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has openly declared himself a “proud international criminal” in defence of his activism.
- Julius Malema, leader of the opposition party in South Africa, openly declared himself a ‘proud international criminal’ in defense of his activism
- He drew parallels between himself and Nelson Mandela, justifying his stance by the example of Mandela being labelled a criminal for fighting against apartheid
- Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk criticized Malema, calling for sanctions against him and labeling him an international criminal
Speaking at the St. Paul African Apostolic Church in Soweto on Sunday, Malema cooked up some of his usual rhetoric while addressing the controversy surrounding his political stance. In his speech, he drew parallels between himself and Nelson Mandela, who was once labelled a criminal for fighting against apartheid.
“Nelson Mandela was an international criminal—that’s what they declared him for fighting for the freedom of the people,” Malema said. “If it means I’m joining the ranks of Nelson Mandela by being declared an international criminal for fighting for the rights of my people, then I’m proud to be an international criminal.”
Julius Malema Sparks Global Outrage Over Hate Speech Allegations
Last week, Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk criticized the South African political leader after a two-year-old video of him chanting “Kill the Farmer” at a rally resurfaced on social media. Elon Musk publicly called for sanctions against the controversial politician and quickly labelled him an international criminal.
The post sparked outrage at the time, with critics arguing that it incited racial division. Malema and his supporters have, however, denied the accusation. They argued that the statement was a political metaphor to address white economic dominance in South Africa.
