EFF leader Julius Malema. Ima credit: Nhlanhla Phillips/African News

Julius Malema says the people of Soweto must pay for electricity. He is imputing that there are those who are hiding behind the poor. This is nothing but an insult to the people of Soweto who are involved in a serious struggle with Eskom and the commodification of a basic need. Why must anyone in South Africa (SA) pay for electricity for household use?

Malema pretends to be fighting for the poor when in fact he is an enforcer of the anti black neoliberal Stellenbosch agenda. The people of Soweto aren’t hiding behind any poor people. They are poor like the rest of SA. Secondly, why must they even pay for a basic need? Must they also pay for healthcare and education?

Despite the povery biting at the Soweto people, they have offered to pay a flat rate of R150. Black First Land First (BLF) says that they shouldn’t pay even a cent. Why must we pay when we have already paid for energy generation?

Malema must know these basic facts: households only use 30% of the energy generated; coal is for free; and we pay for the establishment, development and operational costs of mines (hence “cost plus mines”). Moreover, Eskom should sell the remaining 70% of the energy to industry at competitive prices, not at the current massive indirect prices that amount to a subsidy to white monopoly capital (WMC).

Soweto is correct, electricity is a right. South African households must all get free electricity because its a right and is already paid for by the same tax payer. We call for an end to the betrayal of the poor to enrich the few.

We also now wonder if Malema didn’t call the march against Eskom to simply promote his new found love for nuclear energy. This change of heart seems to be consistent with the interests of western imperialism in the nuclear program in SA. We are moved to ask: Does Lord Robin Renwick now want the nuclear deal for his friends? Are the people of Soweto being used to justify the call for nuclear so as to benefit Stellenbosch and its Western friends?

Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee of (BLF NCC)

2 March 2020

Contact Details

Black First Land First Mail: [email protected]

Zanele Lwana
(BLF Deputy President)
Cell: +27 79 986 7225