The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema reaffirmed his party’s commitment to fighting for the expropriation of land without compensation, stating that their efforts would not cease until the rightful land was returned to its people.
Speaking at the EFF Land Reclamation Day at Sophiatown Extreme Park in Johannesburg, Malema highlighted that the struggle for land began long before the present-day debates, stretching all the way back to 1652.
The Battle for Land Since 1652
Malema made it clear that the fight for land was not a recent phenomenon but an ongoing struggle that had its roots in the arrival of European colonizers.
“We are here to claim the land which was stolen from our ancestors,” Malema said to the gathered crowd.
He emphasized that the work of reclaiming the land was far from over, and the EFF would continue its mission to restore what was taken.
“We are here to finish the work of those who were displaced, silenced, and buried,” he added.
The Year 1652: A Turning Point in South African History
Malema referred to April 6, 1652, as a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history—not as the beginning of civilization, but as the beginning of dispossession.
He described the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck, a representative of the Dutch East India Company, as the start of a colonial project that would forever change the fate of the indigenous people of South Africa.
The Arrival of Dutch Settlers and the Impact on Indigenous People
Malema explained that the Dutch settlers did not arrive in South Africa as refugees or tourists but as agents of European imperialism.
Van Riebeeck’s mission was clear: secure land, labor, and resources to support the Dutch Empire’s growing maritime trade.
What began as a simple trading post soon turned into a fully established colony, with devastating effects on the indigenous Khoi and San peoples.
“In that year, Jan van Riebeeck arrived at the Cape, sent by the Dutch East India Company,” Malema told the crowd.
He highlighted that the settlers’ impact was swift and destructive, as they forcibly removed the Khoi and San people from their ancestral lands.
The Dutch settlers, initially merchants, soon became landowners, acquiring land through encroachment, not invitation.
This led to the dispossession of the native populations, who were subjected to violence, exploitation, and systemic abuse.
Rejection of the Expropriation Bill
Despite recent developments surrounding the Expropriation Bill, which was signed into law earlier this year, Malema made it clear that the EFF rejected the bill.
He reiterated that the EFF’s commitment to land expropriation without compensation remained unwavering.
The struggle for land, Malema said, was far from over, and his party would continue to fight for the return of land to its rightful owners.
Malema’s speech underscored the ongoing battle for justice and the restoration of land rights for the people of South Africa.