EFF leader Julius Malema says the recent load shedding was a deliberate plan by government to justify electricity price hikes and the privatisation of Eskom to benefit a few individuals connected to the governing party.

Malema attended a court case in Newcastle in northern KwaZulu-Natal on a charge of contravention of the Riotous Assembly Act.

Malema is challenging the constitutionality of the 1956 Riotous Assembly Act; this after telling his supporters in a gathering in Newcastle in 2016 to occupy any vacant land.

Malema argues that the act was used by the apartheid government to suppress black people.

Outside court, he told his followers that he was charged for what was written in the Freedom Charter. He encouraged them to continue fighting for land.

“We are echoing the sentiments as expressed in the Freedom Charter. We are not being creative, we are continuing with the struggle of our people.”

Malema had previously declared to turn his court appearances into election rallies. He promised jobs, land and free education if elected into power. He took a swipe at the ruling party, accusing it of running Eskom to the ground and channelling public funds to its coffers.

“The problem is not Eskom, the problem is deployed ANC cadres who are channelling money into the ANC companies. That’s why we don’t have electricity today.”

Turning to education, Malema encouraged students to walk into universities and register.

The matter was postponed to the 8 July. Malema’s legal team asked the magistrate to excuse the EFF leader for his next court appearance.