EFF Leader Julius Malema at the “EFF Sharpeville Massacre Commemoration Rally” on Friday, 21 March 2025 at Dlomo Dam
By Thabo Mosia
Sharpeville, South Africa – 21 March 2025 – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema delivered a powerful address at the “EFF Sharpeville Massacre Commemoration Rally” on Friday, 21 March 2025, urging South Africans to reject the narrative of “Human Rights Day” and instead honour the true significance of “Sharpeville Massacre Day.” Speaking in the historic township of Sharpeville, Malema called for a renewed commitment to the struggle for justice, land, and economic freedom, warning that distorting history undermines the sacrifices of those who died on 21 March 1960 at the hands of the apartheid regime.
A Day of Remembrance and Resistance
Malema’s speech, delivered to a crowd of EFF supporters in Sharpeville, was a poignant reflection on the township’s painful history and a rallying cry for continued resistance against systemic inequality. “Today, we gather here in the historic township of Sharpeville, a place that carries the blood of our ancestors, the pain of our past, and the resilience of our struggle,” Malema began. “We do not come here to commemorate a so-called ‘Human Rights Day,’ but to remember and honour the sacrifice of those who fell on March 21, 1960, at the hands of a murderous apartheid regime.”
He continued, “We call it Sharpeville Massacre Day because it is a day of struggle and sacrifice, and not a day where opportunists and racists should be allowed to hijack the day to claim that it represents their Human Rights which have been violated. We call it Sharpeville Massacre Day, because to call it anything else is to undermine the memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle against white domination, and it will allow history to be distorted.”
The Sharpeville Massacre, a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history, saw 69 unarmed protesters killed and 180 injured by apartheid police during a peaceful demonstration against pass laws. Malema recounted the events vividly: “It was on this day that thousands of Black South Africans took to the streets in defiance of the oppressive pass laws imposed by the apartheid government. These laws were not just pieces of paper; they were chains that bound our people to poverty, oppression, and state-sanctioned violence.”
Led by the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the protesters demanded an end to the pass laws that restricted their movement in their own land. “But instead of being met with dialogue, they were met with bullets,” Malema said. “Sharpeville was not just a massacre; it was a declaration of war by the apartheid regime against the Black majority. It was a moment that exposed the true brutality of white minority rule to the entire world.”
Malema highlighted the cruelty of the apartheid regime, noting, “The cowardice of the Apartheid regime meant that unarmed and peaceful Africans were shot in the back as they tried to flee, their bodies riddled with bullets, their dreams cut short by a government that saw black lives as disposable.” He explained the significance of the passbook, or “dompas,” as a tool of oppression: “The passbook—known as the dompas—was the physical embodiment of apartheid’s brutality and inhumanity. It was a document of oppression, designed to control and dehumanise Black people in their own land. This small book dictated where a Black person could live, where they could work, and even when they could move. It was not just a piece of paper; it was a weapon of humiliation, a daily reminder that, in the eyes of the white supremacist state, Black people were not human beings but subjects to be controlled, to be policed, restricted, and punished at will.”
The Ongoing Struggle for Justice
Malema’s speech went beyond historical reflection, addressing the persistent inequalities that continue to plague South Africa 31 years after the end of apartheid. “We are told to move on from the crimes of Apartheid, yet the reality of Apartheid remains the same, because a white life in this country is worth more than a black life,” he said. “The worth of a white life on South Africa means so much, that when there is a death of a white person due to crime that affects all of us, it is called a white genocide, because whenever a white person dies the whole world must pay attention.”
He urged EFF supporters to reject this narrative: “Fellow Fighters we must refuse the idea that a black life is so cheap, that even our history of sacrifice and resistance can be changed to massage the conscience of our oppressors. Our people were massacred by the Apartheid regime today, and the human rights of Africans have not been changed ever since those Africans were killed here in Sharpeville in 1960. Our lives remain cheap, our dignity remains undermined, and we are still disrespected by white supremacy that insists that white people must be comfortable at the expense of black people, when white people are not comfortable, then black people must be punished with sanctions and isolation.”
Malema also critiqued the government’s foreign policy, particularly its approach to international relations. “We must ask this ruling government, why do we not tell those who seek to sanction us for fighting for our land that it was Nelson Mandela’s dream that South Africa should be equal? Why do we not remind the international community that loves Nelson Mandela so much, that Nelson Mandela did not stand for reconciliation only, but he believed that the land and wealth of South Africa must be shared and for this, he started an armed struggle because the white Apartheid regime did not listen to peaceful means? Why does this government not tell the USA that when racists refused equality, Nelson Mandela said they must be confronted with arms, and that today we are better, because we are confronting racists with legislation and the Constitution to expropriate land without compensation? The approach of this government, which seeks to plead with imperialism is cowardice and succumbing to white domination and can never be accepted as diplomacy.”
He further challenged the United States’ role in South Africa’s affairs: “The USA is not interested in diplomacy, the USA is interested in dominance over us by any means necessary and we must stand up and fight for ourselves because we represent a historical mission, and that mission is the return of the land.”
On DRC and Rwanda: A Call for African-Led Solutions
Malema also addressed regional conflicts, specifically the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. “The EFF welcomes the decision to withdraw SADC forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This means all our soldiers stationed in the DRC will be coming home and that will be the end of our so-called peacekeeping mission,” he said. “This decision is long overdue, and the EFF has been vindicated after several calls we have made to withdraw these troops as the deployment was ill-conceived and unsustainable from the start. We have consistently stated that South African troops were ill-equipped for this mission, and the loss of soldiers, especially the 14 South African troops killed in January, has proven this.”
He urged the government to prioritise the well-being of returning soldiers: “As the withdrawal process begins, we urge the government to ensure the safe return of our soldiers and prioritise their well-being after this difficult deployment.” Malema also highlighted the worsening situation in Eastern DRC, stating, “We cannot ignore that the situation in Eastern DRC has worsened, with the M23 rebels, backed by the Rwanda government, capturing essential cities such as Goma and Bukavu and blocking vital humanitarian routes. This mission has failed to bring stability, and instead, our troops were left exposed and vulnerable.”
Malema called for a political solution driven by African nations: “The reality is that military intervention alone cannot resolve this crisis. A lasting solution requires a political process driven by African nations, not foreign interests.” He expressed skepticism about external involvement, particularly in peace talks held in Qatar: “While we acknowledge ongoing diplomatic efforts, we must be cautious of the intentions of regional leaders. Both Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC were recently seen holding talks in Qatar when they should be continuing to engage directly with fellow African nations through SADC, East African Community (EAC) or the African Union (AU). Why Qatar? We all know Qatar has deep interests in the region’s gold reserves and other natural resources. This raises concerns about whether these talks are truly about peace or simply about controlling who profits from the wealth of the DRC.”
He concluded this section by advocating for African-led peace efforts: “The EFF calls on SADC, the East African Community (EAC), and the African Union (AU) to remain vigilant and not allow the people of the DRC to be used as pawns in geopolitical games. Any peace talks must prioritise the interests of the Congolese people, not foreign investors or power-hungry elites. The African continent must take charge of its own peace and security without external interference.”
Malema also addressed the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), urging that funds from the failed DRC mission be redirected: “As to the South African National Defence Force, all the money set aside for this failed mission must now be redirected towards strengthening South Africa’s defence capabilities. Our military must be better equipped and better prepared to defend our country and for future peacekeeping missions, only when they are strategic, well-planned, and in the best interest of our nation. South Africa must not be used as a disposable tool in conflicts that are driven by economic interests rather than genuine peace efforts, which our continent desperately needs.”
Organisational Rebuilding and the Vanguard Party
Malema dedicated a significant portion of his speech to the EFF’s vision for organisational growth and ideological clarity. “Comrades, we must always remember that we are building a vanguard party that must lead South Africa, Africa and the world to liberation and that requires us to appreciate the ideas of Lenin, which are that a revolution must be organized and led principally by the working class,” he said. “It is Lenin who teaches us that a revolutionary vanguard party, recruited from the working class, should lead the political campaign because only in that way would the proletariat successfully realise their revolution.”
He outlined the EFF’s commitment to a disciplined, socialist movement: “The revolution will not be spontaneous, the revolution and liberation of the working class requires a principled movement to unite the working class around the ideas of socialism, and this means the revolution cannot be led through political tourism and pursued by any organization at any particular point in time. The basic requirement is that there must be an appreciation of class consciousness, internal democracy and we must all be professional revolutionaries.”
Malema described the role of the EFF as a vanguard party: “The role of a vanguard party is to elevate the consciousness of our people towards revolution and organize our people through democratically elected structures chosen by the people. The EFF comrades that vanguard party which is at the forefront of the liberation of our people, and we remain that vehicle to the destruction of capitalism.”
He called on EFF members to adhere to the party’s resolutions: “Our responsibility now as professional revolutionaries is to adhere to the resolutions which will make this vanguard party of the poor a strong weapon to attain Economic Freedom In Our Lifetime. We must build our organization from the basic unit which is the branch and ensure all of our branches meet the criteria to be in good standing, and this means they must have a minimum of 200 members.”
Malema also addressed EFF public representatives: “This begins with all EFF Public Representatives, it is your branches that must have a minimum of 200 branches because if you are true people’s representatives, then we will see this through the existence of your own branches and their compliance with the resolutions of the highest decision making body of our movement, which instructed all of us to belong to strong branches. ALL EFF Public Representatives must belong to a branch in good standing, and failure to do so means you must be recalled, because whose interests do you represent if not those of a branch? Let us be disciplined in building a genuine movement of the poor, not an organisation to pursue personal interests or one that relies on the feelings of individuals.”
The Year of the Picket Lines
Malema concluded his speech with a call to action, declaring 2025 as “The Year of the Picket Lines.” “Comrades and Fighters, the minimum program we have adopted as the organizing force and vanguard party of the left is that we must pursue our revolution on the picket lines,” he said. “The Year of the Picket Lines is a call to return to our revolutionary character, which demands us to confront white monopoly capital and demand that the wealth of this country be shared, and that the interests of the poor become a priority.”
He outlined the EFF’s plan to confront systemic inequalities: “Let us head to the streets and confront capital, let us organize ourselves to protect the vulnerable. The Year of the Picket Lines means we must not only confront the state for failure to deliver services, but we must confront the mines for existing without benefiting the people, we must confront the banks for exploiting the poor through predatory loans and banking charges, we must challenge the manufacturing and steel industry for retrenching our workers and we must confront racists for abusing our people in the corporate sector.”
Malema reaffirmed the EFF’s commitment to its mission: “We have defined our movement and adopted a program of action towards total liberation and victory, and the victory of our people depends on the strength of the EFF as the most competent and organized liberation movement. Victory begins with service delivery, victory begins with fighting the capitalist power structure and economic freedom depends on us uniting behind the principle of a strong organization.”
He ended with a rallying cry: “Let us march forward together and in honour of the fallen heroes before us, and head to the Picket Lines, whether we face sanctions, isolation or death. History Will Absolve Us! Hasta La Victoria Siempre!”
Contextualising Malema’s Speech: Recent Developments
Malema’s speech comes at a time of heightened political and social tension in South Africa. Recent reports from News24 (20 March 2025) highlight growing public frustration with the government’s failure to address inequality, with the Gini coefficient remaining among the highest globally at 0.63, according to the World Bank. This statistic underscores Malema’s point about the enduring legacy of apartheid, as Black South Africans continue to bear the brunt of poverty and unemployment, with the latter standing at 32.9% as per Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q4 2024).
The EFF’s focus on land expropriation without compensation aligns with ongoing debates in Parliament. A TimesLIVE article (18 March 2025) reported that the Expropriation Bill, which aims to facilitate land reform, is facing legal challenges from opposition parties and agricultural unions, who argue it threatens property rights. Malema’s critique of the government’s “cowardice” in dealing with international pressure, particularly from the USA, reflects concerns raised on X, where users have noted the risk of sanctions if South Africa pushes forward with radical land reforms.
On the DRC front, Malema’s comments about the SADC withdrawal are timely. A Daily Maverick report (19 March 2025) confirmed that the SADC mission in the DRC, known as SAMIDRC, will end by June 2025, following the deaths of 14 South African soldiers in January. The report also noted the M23 rebels’ advances in Goma and Bukavu, corroborating Malema’s concerns about the mission’s failure and the need for a political solution. Additionally, posts on X have highlighted Rwanda’s alleged support for M23, with some users calling for stronger AU intervention, aligning with Malema’s call for African-led peace processes.
The Broader Significance of Sharpeville Massacre Day
Malema’s rejection of “Human Rights Day” in favour of “Sharpeville Massacre Day” resonates with a growing sentiment among activists and historians who argue that the official framing dilutes the day’s historical weight. The Sharpeville Massacre galvanised international opposition to apartheid, leading to the United Nations declaring 21 March as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. However, Malema’s speech underscores a critique that the post-apartheid state has failed to deliver on the promises of equality and justice for which the Sharpeville protesters died.
The EFF’s emphasis on “The Year of the Picket Lines” also taps into a wave of labour unrest in South Africa. A Business Day report (17 March 2025) noted a surge in strike actions in 2024, particularly in the mining and manufacturing sectors, as workers demand better wages and conditions. Malema’s call to confront “white monopoly capital” and industries like mining and banking reflects the EFF’s broader economic agenda, which includes nationalisation of key sectors—a policy that remains contentious but popular among its base.
Looking Ahead: The EFF’s Role in South Africa’s Future
As South Africa marks Human Rights Day—or, as Malema insists, “Sharpeville Massacre Day”—the EFF’s message is clear: the struggle for true liberation is far from over. Malema’s speech not only honours the past but also sets a bold agenda for the future, positioning the EFF as a vanguard party committed to socialism, land reform, and economic justice.
The party’s focus on organisational discipline, with a minimum of “200 members” per branch, aims to strengthen its grassroots presence ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Political analysts on X have noted that the EFF’s emphasis on picket lines could galvanise its base, particularly among the youth and working class, who feel disillusioned with the ANC’s governance.
Malema’s critique of foreign influence in African conflicts, particularly in the DRC, also positions the EFF as a pan-Africanist force, advocating for self-determination and regional solidarity. As the SADC withdrawal from the DRC unfolds, the EFF’s call for redirected military funding could resonate with South Africans concerned about the SANDF’s readiness, especially amid rising crime and border security challenges.
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