Malema tells demolition-threatened villagers the EFF will put ‘land in your hands’

EFF leader Julius Malema was on the campaign trail in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday, visiting, among other places, a village where homes were demolished over alleged illegal land occupation, and promised homeowners “land into your hands”. For many years, homeowners in Buffalo City’s Bhongweni Village, near King Phalo Airport, have faced threats of eviction and, in some instances, demolition of their housing structures by authorities who accuse them of illegally occupying the land.

The parcels of land belong to the state-owned Agricultural Research Council and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.

“The EFF wants you to get title deeds,” Malema told homeowner Brenda Fuba, 68, during the door-to-door campaign in the village.

“This thing of you getting threatened with evictions is not right, because the legislation states that eviction authorities must find alternative land for the affected people,” said Malema.

Over the years, the EFF took advantage of the situation in the village and acted as intermediaries between the residents and authorities. “We have been fighting side by side with you against the evictions, using EFF lawyers,” Malema added.