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Rustenburg - The ANC built a swimming pool for President Jacob Zuma at Nkandla while many of the country's citizens swam in poverty, Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said on Monday.
Malema was speaking at the community hall in Marikana West ahead of the EFF's second anniversary rally on Saturday at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg.
"Before the election they will come with food parcels and after the election they are gone. In Parliament, we are telling Zuma he is a thief," Malema told residents and supporters in Marikana West.
Instead of taking handouts, residents should rather elect a responsible councillor, he said.
He advised elderly voters to not vote for the ruling African National Congress because of former president Nelson Mandela, with Malema saying, "Mandela was no more".
"That is why you do not have water. This is not the ANC of [former president] Thabo Mbeki. It is the ANC that builds a swimming pool for its president. You are swimming in a pool of poverty. Zuma swims in a pool worth millions of rands."
He added that it was not fair to call Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa honourable.
"What is honourable about Zuma, who sleeps with his friend's daughter? I am sorry, Zuma is not honourable."
He said minerals from South Africa were looted by foreign countries and when the EFF confronted them, the African National Congress protected the countries doing the looting.
The firebrand EFF leader criticised mining company Lonmin for not meeting workers' demands for a R12 500 monthly wage in 2012. If it had, there would have been no strike that led to the August 16 shootings at Marikana that year. Thirty four mine workers were shot and killed by police.
He said given what had happened at Marikana, the state should compensate the families of the dead and injured mineworkers with millions of rands.
"The EFF is saying the state must pay each family of the fallen mine workers R10m, and R5m to each mineworker injured in 2012," Malema said.
Earlier, about 300 EFF members gathered at Marikana West on Monday afternoon, waiting for Malema to address them. Dressed in red party T-shirts and berets, they danced to revolutionary songs played from loud speakers.
A large white tent was erected near the taxi rank ahead of Malema's arrival.
Malema was expected to also address residents in Kroondal later on Monday.
