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South African MP, Julius Malema begs for forgiveness over senseless attacks, looting

September 6, 2019

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London, Sep 6, 2019 (AltAfrica)-Julius Malema, an outspoken South African politician and Member of Parliament who also leads the Economic Freedom Fighters, a South African political party, EFF has begged Africans for forgiveness over recent spate of violence aimed at foreign nationals in South Africa

“Find it in your good hearts to forgive us, we are sorry, we are ashamed of ourselves and sincerely apologise for this madness,” said EFF leader Julius Malema during a media briefing at the party’s headquarters on Thursday.

**South African MP, Julius Malema begs for forgiveness over senseless attacks, looting**

He said the red berets unapologetically sided with the victims and called on South Africans to stop their actions, cautioning that it was the only way for the rest of the continent to treat the country properly.

Various African countries have retaliated to the spate of attacks, through demonstrations and boycotts, with even high-profile personalities taking to social media denouncing the ongoing violence.

At least eleven people, including some South Africans, have died in the violence, which has seen several shops looted across some of Gauteng’s three big metros and numerous suburbs.

Looters take items from an alleged foreign-owned shop during a riot in the Johannesburg suburb of Turffontein on September 2, 2019 in a new wave of violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. PHOTO | GUILLEM SARTORIO | AFP

“We are saying to our fellow African brothers and sisters it’s not all of us, the majority of us know we are not South Africans, we are Africans,” said Malema.

“There is nothing special about South Africa,” continued the EFF leader.

Foreign nationals sit and watch after their shacks were set alight by alleged looters at Marabastad, near the Pretoria Central Business District (CBD) in Pretoria, South Africa on September 2, 2019, during widespread attacks on foreign nationals and looting of their shops. PHOTO | PHILL MAGAKOE | AFP

Rand strengthening while SA burns

Malema, who said white capital and the ANC government had to take full responsibility for the outbreak of violence, added the rand had been performing better than it had in recent months, instead of struggling as the country burned.

“How can the rand strengthen when people are killing each other? Someone is excited here.”

He said the violence should affect everyone in the country, including its markets.

Malema had some choice words for the private sector, which he said was a “polite way” of saying white people.

“They always tell us who to hate and who to love, always tell us what is wrong and what is right.”

In dealing with the argument that some have made for the violence, that foreign nationals steal jobs from South Africans, Malema said it was the private sector that was doing that.

“There are no foreign nationals in the government, it is the private sector, simply put white people who prefer foreign nationals over South Africans. After employing foreign nationals, they come to you and say don’t you think this border being loose has led to the high unemployment rate.”

He added South Africans had come from a traumatic past and was still soul-searching.

“It’s not a Nigerian, a Zimbabwean that killed Uyinene [Mrwetyana], it’s us South African men. It is us who are killing our women, let’s deal with ourselves. Don’t tell me Nigerians must stop selling drugs here, Nigerians must stop selling drugs in Nigeria,” said Malema.

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