Malema urges Zimbabwean youth to rise amid protests over passport fees

EFF leader Julius Malema has called for Zimbabwean youth to unite and challenge the government in their country.

Speaking in a lecture at Rhodes University, Malema said the key to ending Zimbabwe’s problems, such as poverty, is through solidarity and activism of the country’s young people. 

“The Zimbabwean youth must rise because that nonsense will never come to an end, as long as there is no unity of purpose against the tyranny and suppression of political wishes of Zimbabweans,” he said.

Malema criticised regional bodies like the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the AU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for acting like bystanders in Zimbabwe's political debates. “When it comes from us, it will have more weight than when it comes from Europe. Why? Because we are brothers and sisters, they’ll know that it’s a friendly fire, but SADC, AU and South Africa are failing Zimbabweans because it’s a friendship.”

Malema asserted that only the Zimbabwean youth have the power to alter the political landscape. “Only the power of the youth of Zimbabwe can change the political status quo, and Zimbabweans have to know that we are with them. Including Zimbabweans who are here in South Africa,” he said.

On Tuesday, Zimbabweans marched to the country’s embassy in Pretoria against the recently increased cost of their passports, which has soared to R4,540. This hike has spurred a significant backlash among Zimbabweans living in SA, who rely on these passports for legal residency and employment.

The protest follows a petition launched on July 29 by Takudzwa Muchenje, a Zimbabwean residing in South Africa. Muchenje's petition, which has garnered more than 6,144 signatures, condemns the exorbitant passport fees as violating basic human rights.

“Passports are a basic necessity and a human right, essential for accessing opportunities like work, education and better living conditions,” he said.

Muchenje urged the Zimbabwean government to revert the fees to their previous price of about US$150 (R2,776). “Together, we can make a strong statement and push for a fair and just policy that considers the needs and rights of all Zimbabweans,” he said.

Reactions to the march on social media have been mixed. Some users expressed confusion over the protest’s impact, while others questioned why Zimbabweans are not more assertive in addressing these issues within their own country.

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