Malema not for President

WHETHER one likes or hates ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, the man is one of the most prominent players on the political scene in South Africa.

Facing a reinvigorated Democratic Alliance and the angry ANC rejects COPE, the ANC’s election machinery tasked Malema with mobilising the youth to keep the ruling party in power.

Malema did not disappoint his masters. He led his charges to a resounding victory for the ANC of President Jacob Zuma and Gwede Mantashe. Political foes of the governing party had many headaches and surely some had heart and blood pressure problems as Malema decimated them one by one with his barrage of endless insults.

Go to former President Thabo Mbeki, South African Communist Party boss Blade Nzimande, DA leader Helen Zille, COPE leaders Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa and Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and ask them about Male ma. They will all tell you of stories of being on the receiving end of Malema’s relentless politics of personal attacks. Zille, who has had a number of heated exchanges with the youth leader, describes Malema as a demagogue in the worst sense of the word. Malema proved to be a one-man wrecking machine ahead of the April 22 provincial and national polls. He was arguably the main man responsible for getting the youth behind the ANC during its most trying time since the advent of democracy in 1994.

The media did not escape Malema’s seemingly sanctioned verbal assaults. In his eyes, almost all white journalists are pushing a racist agenda against the ANC. To him all media owners, especially the white ones, are racist by nature. According to the gospel of Malema, black journalists (especially those who – through opinion pieces – disagree with his leadership style) are agents of white folk, who in his warped mind are out to get him.

Malema and his cohorts would love to dictate to the media what constitutes newsworthiness. Even those who speak on his behalf are inherently intolerant of some sections of the media while rolling out the red carpet for their media darlings, who suck up to them.

This is in sharp contrast to the pleasantly professional conduct of the governing party’s spokesmen Ishmael Mnisi and Brian Sokutu.

Now we have Zuma saying Malema is a worthy candidate to inherit the ruling party. What this means is that Malema is in line to become President of South Africa. This is so because, according to the Polokwane conference resolution, the leader of the ANC must become the head of state. There are few admirable personal traits about Malema. His ability to say it like it is is quite refreshing in a world of politics where political correctness is the usual order of the day. But that does not necessarily make him presidential material to run the country.

Malema may be doing well in his current position, which was and still is necessary in consolidating power for the Zuma camp after the Polokwane spring. But the current Malema cannot be the President for many reasons. Not only is he a polarising figure, he is more like a celebrity who does not miss an opportunity to play to the gallery. He lacks substance in his leadership. He’s just a distinguished exponent of personal attack politics. Any other “nice” deployment, not presidential in nature, will do for Malema.

Cedric Mboyisa is political editor of The Citizen. This column first appeared in The Citizen.