Mama, the sellouts are here – Malema says as some ANC members attempt to boo him at Winnie funeral
EFF leader Julius Malema went on a rampage at global struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral, attacking those he claimed disowned the leader but were now claiming her as one of their own.
A funeral service for the 81-year-old liberation hero, who died on April 2, was held at the Orlando stadium on Saturday.
Several presidents and former presidents from both South Africa and different parts of the continent attended the event, where Madikizela-Mandela’s daughters delivered a fiery tribute to the fallen hero, however the tribute from the EFF’s commander in chief Julius Malema drew significant applause from the crowd.
His comments were, however, also meet with boos by some ANC members in the crowd.
"Some of those who sold you out to the regime are here. They are crying the loudest, more than us - who died for you," Malema said, before lambasting those he believed had wronged the struggle veteran.
The ANC’s current president Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the country’s president, the ANC Women’s League, and the UDF were just some of those Malema targeted. Howover, before that he greeted everyone, including the structures of the ANC, and declared: "President Cyril Ramaphosa was Mama Winnie’s president".
His refusal to acknowledge former president Jacob Zuma was clearly notable.
During his fiery address, Malema questioned several aspects of the ANC government.
"Mama, the widows of Marikana are still in tears. What do I tell them, what about those who killed their husbands for selfish gains? What do we do with them? Give us a sign Mama."
Although he did not name Ramaphosa, the EFF have previously expressed that he had a role in the killing of 34 miners by South African police during a protracted strike for better wages in 2012.
Ramaphosa, who was a non-executive director for the mining company Lonmin at the same, called for "concomitant action" to be taken against the miners.
"You were never a member of the UDF, you were a member of the ANC. All those who resigned from the women's NEC [national executive committee], who said they don’t want to be led by a criminal, are here," he said.
"We see you in your suits, sell-outs."
He acknowledged that the stalwart had wished to see him return to the 106-year-old liberation movement, but pleaded his case as to why he and members of his party couldn’t do so.
"You wanted us to come back to the ANC - to which ANC? The same one who sold you out," asked Malema.
Some ANC members started attempts to drown out Malema by booing and singing, but he continued and called on Soweto residents to never forget her name.
He also said that Cape Town International Airport should be named after her.
As soon as Malema wrapped up his speech, EFF supporters started streaming out of the stadium.
