President Jacob Zuma and ANC YL leader Julius Malema at this year's Youth Day celebrations in Ekurhuleni. Picture: Morapedi Mashashe
LOVE or hate him, ANC Youth League president Julius Malema is not afraid to speak his mind, even if it means being at loggerheads with the ruling party.
Never the one to use diplomatic means to make his point, Malema has set the cat among pigeons by calling for nationalisation of mines. ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe shot down Malema's suggestion. But he hit back in a veiled attack on Mantashe, one of the most powerful figures in the current leadership of the ruling party. “As defenders of the revolution we will have a permanent problem with any member or leader of the ANC who opposes the Freedom Charter in an attempt to please the minority owners of mines and mineral resources,” Malema lashed out in a statement yesterday.
In a nutshell, Malema is accusing the ruling party of not being completely true to the Freedom Charter. Ironically, the ANC breakaway party (the Congress of the People) was founded on the basis that the ruling party no longer subscribed to the Freedom Charter. Surprisingly, not a word of support from COPE for Malema's nationalisation of mines! One would have thought that the self-anointed latter-day guardians (COPE) of the Freedom Charter would back Malema right away. It would appear that only Malema, Cosatu and SACP are really into the Freedom Charter.
It's easy to dismiss Malema as just being a loudmouth, but his league is an extremely influential component of the ruling party. It was the Young Lions that led the way in "project dethrone" former President Thabo Mbeki in Polokwane. It was Malema who said Mbeki would be axed in the wake of the damning Judge Chris Nicholson ruling, and indeed the ANC national executive committee gave Mbeki his marching orders, just as Malema had said.
So don't rule out the nationalisation of the mines, because Malema has spoken!
I tend to think Malema and his coterie of comrades in the youth league to overplay their importance and role in the politics of this country. By the way, I have nothing against Malema. He is still a "Kortbrook" in politics. Clause 3 of the FC also talks about the banks, why is he silent on this? What about the redistribution of land to the masses? This is far easier said than done. The point is, talk is cheap. Thanx for playing the devil's advocate.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Malema's goal is to ensure that the Freedom Charter reigns supreme during his term of office as the leader of the "kingmakers".
ReplyDeleteBotshelo Selogilwe commented: "There are times when I do not agree with the President of the Youth League, Julius Malema. Perhaps because of his consecutive and controversial statements that moved the public sphere previously. Malema raised the issue of nationalizing the mines, yes it is him again! Let's put that one aside for a moment. What happens next? Do we ignore it because it was raised by Malema? Or do we look at what is best for the success of this country and its people? We are watching!
ReplyDeleteWe can sometimes dismiss what Malema says at our own peril.
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