Malema to African Leaders at NBA Conference: Tear Down Colonial Borders, Unite Under One Government
South Africa’s opposition leader and President of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, has called on Nigeria and South Africa to take joint leadership in driving Africa’s economic independence. He argued that the continent’s prosperity hinges on the unity and industrialisation of its two largest economies.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu, themed “Stand Out, Stand Tall”, Malema paid glowing tribute to Nigeria’s historic role in the anti‑apartheid struggle. He urged both nations to translate their shared history into concrete economic collaboration that would transform Africa’s fortunes.
Malema described Nigeria as “a comrade nation” that stood firmly with South Africa during its darkest days under apartheid. He recalled Nigeria’s financial contributions, the student‑led ‘Mandela tax,’ and the boycott of international sporting events as acts of solidarity that helped sustain the liberation struggle.
He further noted that Nelson Mandela, shortly after his release from prison in 1990, visited Lagos and Abuja to personally thank Nigerians. That visit, Malema said, cemented a bond “built in blood and sacrifice” — a bond that must now be deepened through deliberate economic action.
Despite their abundant natural resources, Malema warned that both countries remain trapped in colonial economic structures that export raw materials cheaply to foreign markets, only to import finished goods at high prices. He insisted that the way forward is for Nigeria and South Africa to industrialise together, build factories, and process resources on African soil.
While acknowledging existing economic ties — from South African companies like MTN and Shoprite thriving in Nigeria to the influence of Nigerian music and film in South Africa — Malema cautioned that xenophobia poses a serious threat to African unity. He condemned it as “anti‑African unity,” attributing its roots to poverty and inequality, and called for visa‑free travel, harmonised trade policies, and infrastructure that links African economies.
Placing his message within a broader Pan‑African vision, Malema expressed solidarity with oppressed peoples in Western Sahara, Palestine, Cuba, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He criticised global legal institutions for shielding Western powers while targeting African leaders, and urged Africa to develop its own courts, tribunals, and instruments of solidarity. Closing his address, he restated the EFF’s radical vision of a borderless Africa with one currency, one parliament, and one military command, declaring that Nigeria and South Africa can lead the continent into a future of unity, strength, and dignity.
