Malema told delegates at the closing of the EFF congress in Nasrec that if the newly elected leadership fails to complete the mission of building the school by the end of the five-year term, they should be voted out. This included himself.

"We must build a private school that is owned by the EFF. We are going to build a school in these next five years, and children will go into that school will study free of charge," said Malema.

"I do not understand why Patrice Motsepe does not own a private school, I do not understand why Robert Gumede does not own a private school, with all the money they have."

Malema said building a private school was expensive, but the EFF could manage based on it raising R32m for its congress.

"If we can raise R32m for our conference in less than eight months, it means we are capable of raising more. We will hire highly qualified black teachers and will have full facilities in the standard of other private schools," he said.