Julius Malema has strongly criticised the growing anti-illegal immigration marches taking place across South Africa, describing them as “Afrophobia” directed at vulnerable African migrants rather than the real causes of the country’s economic struggles.

The Economic Freedom Fighters leader made the remarks while addressing the South African Communist Party Conference of the Left in Boksburg on Friday.

The three-day conference was organised to strengthen political coordination, working-class unity and ideological collaboration among leftist formations and progressive organisations.

Speaking during his address, Malema argued that poor African migrants should not be blamed for South Africa’s unemployment crisis, collapsing public services or economic inequality.

“Poor Africans from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, or elsewhere on the continent are not responsible for unemployment, inequality, or collapsing public services,” he said.

Malema described the conference as taking place during what he called a decisive historical period marked by economic instability, political uncertainty and the visible decline of the global capitalist system.

“We gather in a world defined by obscene concentration of wealth alongside unprecedented levels of poverty, technological advancement alongside expanding human misery, and enormous productive capacity alongside deepening unemployment, hunger and social collapse,” he said.

According to Malema, modern capitalism no longer attempts to justify itself morally and instead openly embraces inequality, competition and profit-driven systems that leave millions trapped in poverty and insecurity.

“It has abandoned the language of justice and embraced the language of markets, competition and permanent inequality,” he argued.

The EFF leader said societies structured around profit and commodification reduce people to economic tools, contributing to racism, misogyny, militarisation, xenophobia and social breakdown.

He also linked South Africa’s crime levels, gender-based violence, drug abuse and social instability to widespread unemployment and economic exclusion.

“When millions of people are denied meaningful participation in society, the result is not merely poverty but the breakdown of social cohesion itself,” he said.

Turning specifically to anti-immigration protests, Malema warned against what he described as simplistic narratives blaming migrants for South Africa’s economic and governance problems.

“The growing phenomenon of Afrophobia within South Africa must be confronted with absolute political clarity because it represents one of the most dangerous expressions of false consciousness within the working class,” he said.

“Migrants did not privatise state capacity. Migrants did not concentrate ownership of land and industry. Migrants did not construct an economy incapable of absorbing labour.”

His remarks come amid ongoing demonstrations and tensions surrounding undocumented immigrants in various parts of the country, with some groups demanding stricter border control and stronger action against illegal immigration.

Malema argued that directing anger toward poor African migrants ultimately protects the systems and structures responsible for inequality and economic suffering.

“A left that cannot defend African solidarity has abandoned its historical mission,” he added.

The EFF leader also touched on growing tensions within the governing alliance following the formation of the Government of National Unity after the 2024 general election.

Relations between the ANC and SACP have deteriorated in recent months, particularly after the SACP criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC leadership for including the Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus in the GNU.

Malema claimed the ANC increasingly treats independent political organisations as threats rather than allies.

“For decades, the ANC occupied such a central position within South African political life that sections of its leadership began confusing the organisation itself with the entirety of liberation politics,” he said.

The conference was attended by representatives from several political and civic organisations, including the MK Party, Pan Africanist Congress, AZAPO, NUMSA and SANCO.