Julius Malema accuses ANC leader of killing children

EFF leader Julius Malema has accused Oscar Mabuyane, the Premier of the Eastern Cape, of killing children in his province through poverty.

He made this accusation during a press briefing on 4 February 2026 about the outcomes of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) meeting.

During the press briefing, he touched on numerous issues, including the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the ANC leadership race.

He said poverty is a killer in South Africa and is particularly prevalent in the Eastern Cape, where Oscar Mabuyane is the leader.

“We must be ashamed of the Eastern Cape, where the premier of the province is killing children through poverty,” he said.

He added that Mabuyane now wants to become the ANC’s Deputy President, which will spread the challenges of the Eastern Cape nationwide.

Mabuyane recently availed himself of a third term as provincial chair, but added that he would also stand for deputy president if nominated.

He lost to Paul Mashatile for the deputy presidency at the ANC’s 2022 national elective conference but is keen to have another bite at the cherry.

Malema slated the decision, saying, “He is tired of killing children provincially. He now wants to do it nationally. He wants to slaughter them nationally through poverty.”

“Children are dying in the Eastern Cape from hunger,” he said, adding that it is perplexing that it has reached that level.

“The death of one child from hunger is one too many. I must stop this year. We have had enough.”

Malema also had choice words about the ANC’s Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, saying the party’s support plummeted under his guidance.

“The ANC could not fill up a stadium of 20,000 people with Mbalula as the Secretary General of the party,” he said.

“The North West province, where the event was held, is an indicator of what is going to happen in the elections.”

He also criticized Deputy President Paul Mashatile, saying he changed from an approachable gentleman to something else after taking office.

“He became deputy president, and he got married. He then became something else we did not know. We can’t describe it,” Malema said.

However, compared to the other ANC leadership contenders, whom we called power hungry, he described Mashatile as a sober candidate.

He said Mashatile would be willing to listen and engage in a coalition with progressive parties, like the EFF.