15 January 2022
Vimbayi Mahachi
South Africa – Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema is not amused by the percentage number of foreign employees at Cream Restaurant at the Mall of Africa.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Malema who was elevated at the back of a pick up truck was addressing his followers and onlookers in some Suburban area in South Africa, expressed his displeasure on the number of Zimbabweans who are employed at the Cream Restaurant situated at the Mall of Africa in Midrand.
“Kuna le restaurant koMall of Africa bari keCream Restaurant. Kawufela basebenzi kemaZimbawe, so next week kena kiyaMall kibakla kutsiba why hakina kebana ba…..”
There is this Restaurant at the Mall of Africa by the name Cream Restaurant. Many of its employees are Zimbabwean, so next week am going to the Mall to enquire why there are no locals employed there..
The Mall of Africa is a shopping mall located in Waterfall City, Midrand, Gauteng. It is the third largest single-phase shopping mall to be built in Africa. The total retail area is 13 000 square metres, and a gross area of 6 500 square metres. The shopping mall has two main levels of shopping as well as an outdoor restaurant plaza which connects directly to the Waterfall City Park.
It is home to over 300 shops, many of which are flagship stores. In addition to a vast array of both local and international brands, the Mall also boasts uniquely identified court areas made for easy shopping navigation, as well as exceptional access.
Malema in the past has stoodfast with Zimbabweans, defending their presence in that country,especially during the xenophobic perpetrated violence that targeted foreigners occupying many places of work in that country. Malema had described the butchering of foreigners as self hate and castigated the whites whom he blamed for creating borders in Africa, ‘otherwise the people of Africa are one’.
But this time around he has made an about turn and tagerted the presence of Zimbabweans employed at this particular restaurant.
He was at pains in trying to pacify the fact that he is not against Zimbabweans being employed, but since South Africa belongs to South Africans there should be a balance in the composition of employees. Locals must be considered first and be given a chance before foreigners are considered.
He encouraged his followers to go to the Mall of Africa to disrupt services as long as there are Zimbabweans employed there.
“Fighters let’s go by so doing we will be creating jobs for South Africans.” He encouraged amid applause.
“…Its not about Zimbabweans, Mozambicans or Lesotho. It’s about locals. Everywhere you do business hire locals.”
The crowd cheered and concurred with what Malema.
Malema said his party is pushing for local empowerment. He believes that as long as the majority of South Africans are employed he has no problem with foreigners being included.
This attack on Zimbabweans by Malema comes at the backdrop of the recent surge of flashing out undocumented foreigners by South African government through the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Road blocks of thirty metres apart have been set up along the N1, the gateway into South Africa. This is an effort by the South African authorities to stop all foreigners without proper papers from entering the country.
It is unfortunate that this exercise is targeting mostly Zimbabwean immigrants who are fleeing economic hardships in their country.
Seemingly Malema has joined the fray to dispel workers of foreign origin from South Africa in favour of locals.
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