‘If not wanting Zuma is racist‚ then we are proud racists’ - Malema

"If not wanting Zuma is racist‚ then we are proud racists‚" EFF leader Julius Malema told an tens of thousands of marchers at the Union Buildings.

President Jacob Zuma steps down as president.

EFF leader Julius Malema started his speech at the Union Buildings in Pretoria by praising leaders of the opposition for organising a peaceful march.

"We have united for the purpose of taking back our beautiful country‚ Malema said‚ adding that the office of the President belonged to the people and not to the ANC or Zuma.

The insults for Zuma flowed freely during his address.

"We don’t have a memorandum‚ because the person who occupies this office here can't read‚" Malema said‚ pointing to the Union Buildings.

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"The man hates books‚ and therefore a memorandum won't be read by this clown. We don't want to waste paper and ink‚" he said. He emphasised that the Pretoria march was not a once-off event.

"This is a rolling mass action. We are coming to Free State‚ Eastern Cape‚ Western Cape‚ North West and Limpopo. We are going to all big cities in the country and KZN‚" Malema said.

"If not wanting Zuma is racist‚ then we are proud racists!"

Malema said the ANC was misleading the country by saying the junk status credit ratings was only an issue for white South Africans.

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"It's an issue that is going to affect the poorest of the poor‚" he said.

"We are taking government in 2019. And when we take government bread will be R80 and you will blame us. We must take action to prevent this now before it becomes a nightmare for everyone‚" he said.

Malema disagreed with fellow EFF member Dali Mpofu for saying the march was not an anti-ANC march.

"We are fighting the ANC. All of them including the voters of the ANC are to be blamed for this mess. As a voter of the ANC‚ wherever you are‚ for sure you are proud of yourself‚" he said.

"Members of the ANC in parliament are cowards. But don't worry we are arranging that you are not exposed - General Holomisa is arranging it through the Constitutional Court‚" Malema said.

Opposition parties have called for a vote of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma to be held in the National Assembly in Parliament‚ and Holomisa wants the court to declare that the vote can be conducted by secret ballot.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa cited the recent credit downgrades as one of the main reasons he wanted Zuma to step down.

"There is corruption‚ lawlessness and land issues. But chief among these issues is the plunging economy‚" said Holomisa.

"Everyone will suffer. The rich will become poorer but worse‚ the poor will become poorer‚" he said.

He said that according to the ruling party‚ only Zuma was right - while the credit agencies‚ the Public Protector‚ the Constitutional Court and opposition parties were all misguided.

"Yet the powers that be remain unknown. We must find a way to discuss SA's future under one roof and we may soon need to have a summit. Not only should we find solutions to our current challenges‚ but more importantly we must leave behind a prosperous South Africa for future generations‚" Holomisa said.

The march was also supported by the Democratic Alliance‚ IFP‚ Agang SA and some civil society groupings.

While the EFF estimated a crowd of 120 000 marchers‚ police estimated that 30 000 people took part in the march.

- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE