Picture: THINKSTOCK
Picture: THINKSTOCK

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STRIKING miners on the platinum belt are eagerly awaiting Wednesday’s vote "to use our crosses to choose a better government", said workers gathered at rallies addressed by leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Malema’s EFF spent the day campaigning in its stronghold of Rustenburg, where he has become known as a champion of the three-month platinum strike, in which workers are demanding a basic wage of R12,500.

Speaking to a crowd on an open piece of ground at Freedom Park informal settlement near Impala Platinum's mining operations, Mr Malema urged strikers not to give up their fight and to help themselves by voting for the EFF.

"I want to salute you workers for standing firm on the demand of R12,500 that people at Marikana died for. A wage of R12,500 is possible, it is doable. There is enough money in South Africa; we must share that money with the poor."

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He said that if Impala Platinum, Lonmin and Anglo American Platinum couldn’t afford the wage, the Russians and Chinese would take over the mines.

Mr Malema entertained the crowd with an amusing speech ridiculing everything from the size of RDP houses to the shape of President Jacob Zuma’s head.

But he urged people not to underestimate the power of the vote.

"This country was not liberated by burning tyres but with an X. Tomorrow wake up and go and work for yourself (by voting)," he said.

EFF premier candidate for the North West Alfred Motsi said: "Tomorrow we are not going to fight with rocks. We are going to fight with our Xs."

Impala Platinum employee Jerry Mogotsi and two of his colleagues who attended the Impala rally said that, like the crowd, they would certainly be voting on Wednesday.

"It is our chance to change this country to a better one. The ANC has been the worst government as its leaders have shares in all the mining companies," he said.