From tea parties and protesting to buying shoes for supporters: Julius Malema’s 2021

EFF leader Julius Malema continued making news headlines this year. 

The red beret leader had many guessing his next move as he did not hold back on speaking his mind about issues. 

While making controversial appearances and paying people a “special visit”, he also managed to promise his voters houses and luxury sneakers. 

Here are five moments from Malema’s year. 

PAYING ZUMA A ‘SPECIAL VISIT’ IN NKANDLA

In February, Malema paid former president Jacob Zuma a “special visit” after shooting his shot on social media and scoring an invite to Nkandla.

Malema said he was there to tell Zuma to appear before the state capture inquiry.

“Others are saying we lost elections because Malema went to drink tea with Zuma. What if that tea is the one that moved us from five to three in KwaZulu-Natal in eThekwini?” asked Malema.

“I didn’t go there to beg Zuma for anything, I went there to tell Zuma to go to the commission. Now you’re fighting with me to tell a person to do the right thing, you say we can’t vote for you because you went to drink tea, but I didn’t just drink tea, I was telling this old man that you’re going to be arrested if you don’t go to the commission. Did he not get arrested? He didn’t listen. Had he listened to me, he would not have gone to jail.”

PROTESTING FOR VACCINES

At the height of calls for Covid-19 vaccines earlier this year, Malema threatened to engage in mass action protests, including a protest outside the home of the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) chairperson, if Sputnik and Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines were not authorised in time. 

Thousands of EFF members picketed outside the Sahpra offices to demand approval of the Russian and Chinese Covid-19 vaccines under the banner “March to Save Lives”.

The march came after the US Food and Drug Administration asked Johnson & Johnson to discard doses of its Covid-19 vaccine meant for SA.

HANDING HOUSES TO GRANNIES ON WOMEN’S DAY

To commemorate the day, Malema handed several homes to grannies in Polokwane, Limpopo. 

He vowed the EFF would provide “spacious” houses to all citizens. 

“When we say our people must have quality houses, we are speaking of women dignity as many households are women-headed.

“The EFF government will provide such quality, spacious houses to all the people,” he said.

Malema also said the party would build RDP houses in affluent suburbs in the north of Johannesburg if it took over after the elections.

He said the EFF was identifying a “piece of land” in Sandton on which to build RDP houses that would promote integrated human settlements, saying rich and poor must live together.

BUYING SHOES FOR FANS

In the spirit of ubuntu, Malema had social media buzzing after deciding to bless his followers with pairs of Cassper Nyovest’s latest sneakers. 

The outspoken politician said he was giving 50 of his followers a pair of sneakers. It was not clear if the sneakers were sponsored, or if Malema bought them for his followers.

The sneakers retail for R990 each, and would have cost R49,500 for 50 pairs.

Malema said the move was “in support of a black child, black enterprise and black business”. 

“The first 50 people to retweet this tweet, using this hashtag #RF990 and tag Cassper Nyovest, will get RF990 sneakers directly from Don Billiato himself in a venue to be communicated directly to the winners,” he said.

TAKING JABS AT THE ANC 

Would it be a complete EFF speech if Malema failed to take a jab at the ANC?

During one of his addresses before the recent local government elections, Malema took jabs at “ANC members” who attended his election campaign in the Northern Cape, saying they are hungry for leadership. 

“We are here today. We are happy to see that even members of the ANC have arrived because they know where to find leadership. They have no leadership, they have abandoned their own people. These people are longing to see leadership,” said Malema.

“When they heard the leaders of the EFF are coming they had to come too because they know where leaders are found. So don’t worry thinking that they’re bothering you. they’re just missing leadership and they can only find leadership in the EFF. 

“How can EFF people wear EFF T-shirts and go to an ANC rally? We would never do that because we are proper upstairs. We have our own leaders.”