Julius Malema says he does not hate white people

EFF leader Julius Malema said he does not hate white people. However, he hates the system and capitalism, which have taken from black people.

Malema shared his views during an interview with Sakina Kamwendo on SABC News, Morning Live, on 5 February 2026.

He is currently awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of multiple charges, including unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.

He is also guilty of discharging a firearm in a built-up area during a 2018 EFF rally at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium near East London.

Commenting on the case, Malema accused Magistrate Twanet Olivier of being racist and pursuing something other than the law.

He bemoaned the fact that Olivier asked questions about the case when the public prosecutor failed to address certain issues.

Considering his statements about the magistrate, Kamwendo asked Malema whether he hates white people.

He’s answer was clear. “No, I don’t have white people, and they know I don’t hate them,” he said.

“I don’t have anything against white people, but I have everything against the system that has taken from black people.”

He argued that black people are landless, they are not empowered, and black youth in South Africa are unemployed.

He added that black people have no empowerment opportunities and cannot access good education.

“Every privilege a white person has, which is not of their own making, a black child does not have,” he said.

“We need to share the land of the country. We need to share the wealth of the country. We need to treat each other as equals.”

He argued that white people do not want to share their wealth, as they will lose half of what they own. “They refuse, even if they are left with enough,” he said.

Malema said that because white people have these privileges, which he attacks, they concoct a negative narrative about his message.

He added that he never worked for a white person. “I never worked as a gardener or in a shop,” he said.

“I never had a proper interaction with white people, which could have resulted in an origin of hatred towards them. I have never done a business deal with a white person.”

He bemoaned the fact that people turn his message into a personal attack, with him being accused of hating white people.