South African opposition leader Julius Malema has condemned his compatriots for xenophobic attacks against Nigerians, Ghanaians, and other African nationals. Speaking at a public event, a visibly angry Malema declared he would never support attacks on fellow Africans residing in South Africa.
Malema's Message to Xenophobes
“You say Zimbabweans take your jobs, Nigerians take your jobs, and you march, close shops, and beat up people. Tell us, after doing that, how many jobs have you created? By beating up these Nigerians, Ghanaians, Zimbabweans… you have beaten them and taken them out of the country, how many jobs have you created after that? You beat people because they took your jobs… They ran away. You closed a shop that hired five people and say they take our jobs. After closing that shop, how many jobs have you created?” Malema said.
He continued: “Unskilled men with no skill, none whatsoever, saying somebody took your job? The only skill they know is to drink all of that nonsense and pretend they are revolutionary.”
Rejecting Xenophobic Votes
Malema stated he does not want the votes of people who would look at an African child, who looks just like their own children, and ask that the child be thrown out of a South African school, or a pregnant woman be kicked out of a South African hospital because she is not from South Africa.
His speech comes amid renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
