If President Jacob Zuma wants to label those calling for him to step down racists, then so be it, EFF leader Julius Malema said on Wednesday. He told the crowd that the only job Zuma does better is look after cattle.

“If you call us racist, we are proud racists, because we don’t want this man here,” Malema said in an obvious jab to the president’s criticism of last week’s anti-Zuma protests.

“The marches that took place last week demonstrated that racism is real and exists in our country,” Zuma said during the unveiling of a plaque on the declaration of Chris Hani’s grave and the Chris Hani Memorial and Walk of Remembrance in Boksburg as a national heritage site on Monday. Zuma was apparently referring to certain messages written on some of the protesters’ placards.

Zuma also said incidents of racism had become more direct, as racists no longer feared being caught or exposed.

“If not wanting Zuma is racism, then we are racist. If not wanting Zuma [means] you got money from white people, then we received money from white people,” Malema said in response.

“We are proud to have received that money from white people, because anyone who finances a fight against corruption, that person is a patriot. We don’t care whether you are white, Indian, black, we are here to defend the future of our children,” Malema told a sea of mostly EFF supporters who had gathered at the Union Buildings’ south lawns, calling for Zuma to step down.

‘We will never be defeated by an illiterate president’

The protest, which started at Church Square at noon, was attended by members of political parties including the EFF, DA, Cope, ACDP, Agang and APC.

“When the state of South Africa is threatened, we put aside our differences,” Malema said, explaining that the parties were doing it in an effort to win back the country.

“We must salute these leaders, because when we are united we will never be defeated by an illiterate president.”

The EFF acknowledged UDM leader Bantu Holomisa as the driving force behind the march, and for making sure that all the parties convened in Pretoria on Wednesday morning.

Addressing the crowd of thousands, Holomisa said South Africans were concerned that the ANC had allowed South Africa to decline under its watch.

“We can’t continue marching forever, we must find a way to converge under one roof to discuss South Africa’s future.” News24.com