Maravi

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Economic freedom demo rocks SA
Friday, 28 October 2011 00:00

JOHANNESBURG - Thousands of young black South Africans marched to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange yesterday after delivering a petition to the Chamber of Mines demanding big changes to an economy still controlled by the white minority.

Led by African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema, the marchers want President Jacob Zuma's government to do more to tackle the chronic unemployment blighting the continent's biggest economy.

Their proposed solutions include nationalisation of the mines in the world's biggest platinum producer, and the seizure of white-owned farms.

Police were out in numbers and cordoned off streets as the protesters moved to the stock exchange in upmarket Sandton financial district.
Chamber of Mines CEO Bheki Sibiya accepted a memorandum of grievances from the marchers.

ANCYL deputy president Ranold Lamola read out the grievances contained in the memorandum before handing it over to Sibiya.

Sibiya promised to reply to the grievances within five days.
In the petition, the Youth League demanded that the state take 60 percent control of the mines and that all mineral processing plants be situated close to the mines.

"The CEO is the face of white capital but he is a brother," Malema said, addressing marchers from the back of a truck.

"He is one of our own, but works for the wrong people."

Sibiya responded: "Comrades, I will engage with all members of the Chamber of Mines and they will receive the letter."

In a statement, the Chamber of Mines said it did not agree with the Youth League proposals, in particular nationalisation.

"This will severely damage the economic performance of the country and thus leave the population as a whole in a much worst state than before," the statement said.

About 25 percent of South Africans are without work, and a study by the Institute of Race Relations has said half of 25-to-34-year-olds had little chance of ever finding employment.

"We are here because the youth is marginalised by unemployment," said 29-year-old Youth League official Given Valashiya.

"Unemployment is high, so it is important to nationalise the means of production in South Africa as well as expropriate the land. We want to remind our president about these issues."

Some businesses around the Chamber of Mines in downtown Johannesburg and the stock exchange told employees to stay home and tightened security in case the protest turned violent.

The growing gap between South Africa's haves and have-nots has created political space for Malema, whose fearless challenges to everybody from Zuma to "white capitalists" has endeared him to the millions of impoverished blacks.

From the stock exchange, the protest will head to Pretoria, where another petition will be handed to Zuma today. - Reuters.

Labels: DEMONSTRATION, JULIUS MALEMA, LAND RIGHTS, UNEMPLOYMENT

posted by MrK @ 5:04 PM