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Julius Sello Malema (born 3 March 1981, in Seshego) is a South African politician, and the president of the African National Congress Youth League. He is best known for his controversial statements and speeches, and vociferous support for African National Congress president, and later President of South Africa Jacob Zuma. Some analysts depicts him as an orator and leader, with a broad appeal in the young electorate. ^[1]. He has been described by Zuma ^[2] and the Premier of Limpopo Province, as the "future leader" of South Africa ^[3]. Less favourable portraits paint him as a "reckless populist" and a " demagogue" with the potential to destabilise South Africa ^[4].

Early life and career

Malema, a Pedi, was raised by a single parent, a domestic worker in Seshego township, Limpopo. ^{[5] [6]} According to varying reports he joined the Masupatsela ("Trailblazers") pioneer movement of the African National Congress at age nine, ^[6] age ten ^[5] or age 14, ^[7] where, according to Malema, their main task was to remove National Party posters placed outside police stations. ^[6] Most reports agree that he was receiving military training by the age of 14, which is when he joined the ANC Youth League; according to Malema himself he was receiving training in the handling of firearms by age 13. ^[6]

Education

His school career was undistinguished and he failed two high school grades ^[5] as well as several subjects in his final secondary school examination. His highest mark attained at school was reported as a "C" for second language English and his lowest marks were published as an "H" (sub 25%) in maths and a "G" (sub 20%) in woodwork, all in the standard grade. ^{[8] [9]} He said he won R1000 in a high school debating competition. ^[10] He eventually finished high school at age 21. ^[8]

Political career

Early political career

Malema was elected as both chairman of the Youth League branch in Seshego and the regional chairman in 1995. In 1997 he became the chairman of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) for the Limpopo province, and was elected as the national president of that organisation in 2001. ^[11]

Election as leader of ANC Youth League

Malema was elected as the president of the ANC Youth League in April 2008, in a close race at a national conference held in Bloemfontein. ^[12] The election – and the conference – were characterised by what Malema himself later described as "unbecoming conduct". ^[13] Allegations of irregularities in the polling procedure saw the conference adjourned shortly after the election results were announced. ^[14]. It was resumed only in late June, when Malema's election was officially accepted. ^[15]. The election has been described as "certainly fraudulent" ^[16].

He said he will go to parliament only when he is "a shiny polished diamond." ^[17]

Malema told students at Walter Sisulu University, in East London that his role in making controversial statements was that of a decoy, to “distract” the opposition while Zuma “sprinted to the Union Buildings”. ^[18]

Activities as Youth League president

He was "booted" out of Port Elizabeth's Dora Nginza Hospital after the head of the hospital spotted him and 20 other ANC members campaigning in the wards for the April 2009 election. ^[19]

Malema also began visiting schools. These visits were criticised by Deputy President of South Africa, and of the ANC, Kgalema Motlanthe ^[20] for being disruptive to education.

Malema was involved in an incident involving the alleged illegal use of a police blue light when stopped for speeding in Limpopo. This incident was raised in Parliament ^{[21] [22]}.

Malema was involved in a number of controversies in the latter half of 2009. He became involved in the Caster Semenya controversy, and defended former Athletics South Africa head Leonard Chuene, calling for a boycott of Nedbank. He also became involved in the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Eskom chief executive Jacob Maroga, accusing Eskom chairman Bobby Godsell of racism (the ANC later defended Godsell against charges of racism) ^[23]

In early 2010, Malema urged ANC Youth League members to join the South African National Defence Force, and said that there were plans for the Youth League leadership to join the reservist programme [1].

In February 2010 Malema came under fire for alleged intervening in government tenders in the Limpopo province; see below. Malema is currently a director in a number of companies that was awarded these tenders. Malema denies these allegations, but currently he is still listed as a director in all these companies ^[24]. He is especially under fire for his lavish lifestyle, where he drives a number of expensive cars, and lives in a expensive house in Sandton ^[25]. When questioned about his lavish lifestyle, he blames the allegations on racism in South Africa, and that white people do not want to see black people succeed in SA ^[26]. When asked about his Mercedes Benz C63 AMG, he says "its nothing compared to what white kids drive on Sundays" ^[26].

Malema has recently been criticised for not paying any personal taxes nor business taxes for his four registered companies for the two years since his election as the president of the ANCYL. He is apparently being investigated by a senior team within the South African Revenue Service. ^[27]

In March 2010, in what was widely held to be a rebuke of Malema the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) lashed out at the "new culture of public feuds, insults and personal attacks" and adopted a policy of disciplining those who became involved in public disputes with members of the governing ANC-SACP-COSATU alliance. ^[28]

It was reported that Malema visited popular musician Jub Jub ( Molemo Maarohanye) in prison on 17 March 2010, allegedly meeting with him privately, and sharing a meal of Nando's. Maarohanye had been arrested, and charged with murder following an incident in Soweto, where he allegedly ran over and killed four schoolboys during an illegal street race. The alleged murders had provoked widespread community outrage ^[29]. Malema had reportedly been scheduled to visit the parents of the boys the previous week, but had not kept the appointment. ^[30].

April 2010 Zimbabwe visit

In 2 April 2010, Malema visited Zimbabwe, in what was described as a visit on indigenization. He was expected to meet Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. Upon landing in Harare, Malema was greeted by Zanu-PF supporters as well as Zimbabwe's Youth and Indigenization Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, and ZANU-PF Youth Chairman Absolom Sikhosana. Those who greeted him at the airport sang the "Kill the Boer" song, which Malema had just been barred from singing by a South African court (see below). Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean Prime Minister, condemned Malema's visit, after Malema criticised Tsvangirai's party, the Movement for Democratic Change ^[31]. During the visit, he described Tsvangirai as an ally of "imperialists", and called for the Zimbabwe-style seizure of mines and farms in South Africa, telling a crowd in Zimbabwe that "maybe white people got their colour from exploiting our minerals", and "In SA we are just starting. Here in Zimbabwe you are already very far" in reference to land and mine seizures ^[32].

Depiction in mainstream media

Malema is known for his controversial statements and has become a frequent target for lampooning. Cartoonists Zapiro and Jeremy Nell frequently draw him dressed in diapers. ^{[33] [34]}. The media also regularly focusses on his lavish lifestyle, which is in direct contrast compared to his previous public statements regarding politicians and their opulent lifestyles which come at the expense of the poor. ^[35]

Controversial statements

Support for political leaders under criminal investigation

He has expressed vociferous support for both Winnie Madikizela-Mandela ^[36] and Jacob Zuma. ^{[37] [38] [39]} In an address to a Youth Day rally in Thaba Nchu, where Zuma was in attendance, Malema said, "Let us make it clear now: we are prepared to die for Zuma. Not only that, we are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma."

The remark drew widespread condemnation and complaints. The ANC partially distanced itself from the statement the following day, ^[40] former Archbishop Desmond Tutu called on Malema to apologise, ^[41] and complaints were laid with the South African Human Rights Commission by several opposition political parties, the General Council of the Bar of South Africa and individuals. ^[42] The complaints were settled by an agreement between Malema and the Commission. ^[43]

March 2010 hate speech conviction

On March 15th 2010 Malema was convicted of hate speech by the Equality Court , fined R50 000 and ordered to apologise unconditionally ^{[44] [45] [46]}, following a 2009 incident when he told a group of Cape Town students, at a South African Students' Congress (SASCO) meeting that the woman who accused ANC president Jacob Zuma of rape had a "nice time" with him because in the morning she had "requested breakfast and taxi money" ^[47] Following the conviction SASCO expressed "delight" at the ruling, and attacked Malema for the "gratuitous abuse" of the platform that SASCO granted him ^[48]

Statements concerning ANC members

In February 2009, he was criticized by his own party when he mocked Education Minister Naledi Pandor for having what he termed a "fake American accent (when her accent is patently British)." ^[49] He subsequently apologised directly to her after being told to do so by the ANC. ^[50] He was surprised when his grandmother also called him to complain. ^[51]

"Kill the boer" song

In March 2010, at a rally on a university campus, Malema sang an anti-apartheid song "Shoot the boer" (Dubul' ibhunu ^[52]) ^[53] ("Boer" is the Afrikaans word for "farmer", but is also used as a derogatory term for any white person ^[54]). His singing was compared to similar chants by deceased Youth League leader Peter Mokaba in the early 1990's, to "kill the boer" ^[53], which had previously been defined as hate speech by the South African Human Rights Commission ^[55].

Malema's singing of the song led to a barrage of complaints against him, both to the police, and to the commission ^{[55] [56]}.

The ANC, acknowledging that the chant was directed against white people, said "We wouldn't appreciate any statements against any member of our society, including whites... they are also South Africans", however, it "had not taken a decision in the matter" ^[57]. ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu later defended Malema's singing of the song ^[58]. Jacob Zuma also defended Malema ^[59].

The Southern Gauteng High Court ruled on 26 March 2010 that Malema's song (which he had continued singing at public getherings [2]) was "unconstitutional and unlawful", and that any person singing it could face charges of incitement to murder, stating that the song called for the killing of the "farmer/white man", however, the ANC defended the song [3].The ANC announced it would appeal the ruling. The Northern Gauteng High Court, on 1 April 2010 then granted an interdict preventing Malema from uttering the words "shoot the boer", or from "uttering any song of a similar nature which incites violence" until the matter was heard by the Equality Court, to which the case was referred by the presiding judge. ^[60]

Following the ban, during an April 2010 visit to Zimbabwe, the song was sung by Malema ^[61] and the crowd. Malema said he would continue singing the song in defiance of the court order, and that the judges who granted the interdict were "white males who were refusing to change" ^[32], saying "this is the court ruling of the white men in South Africa but we are not going to obey it" ^{[62] [63]}.

Malema's singing of the song was linked to the 3 April 2010 murder ^[52] of Eugène Terre'Blanche ^[62].

Malema is called a "DOOS".

Comments about minorities in government

Following the appointment of Gill Marcus, a white woman, as Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Malema complained that "minorities" (whites, Coloureds and Indians) ran what he defined as the "economic cluster" in the South African cabinet, in reference to finance minister Pravin Gordhan, economic development minister Ebrahim Patel, planning minister Trevor Manuel and Barbara Hogan, Minister of Public Enterprises ^{[64] [65] [66] [67]}. These comments were controversial, as they contradicted the ANC's long-running policy of non-racialism ^[68]. The ANC's alliance partner, the SACP, referring to the statement warned against a "narrow African chauvinism" ^{[69] [70]}. President Jacob Zuma's office also defended the appointments ^[66].

Comments regarding opposition parties

Congress of the People (COPE)

In January 2009, Malema accused new opposition party COPE of wanting to "sell" the "country to British colonialists". Media reports noted that the remarks echoed similar sentiments expressed by Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. ^[36]

In late February 2009 he said that many members of COPE were returning to the ANC because they were "surprised by COPE's arrangement of leadership for hire", referring to COPE's presidential candidate, Mvume Dandala. Malema stated COPE had chosen Dandala since they could not find any "moral" leaders in their party; he accused Zille of using "old apartheid tactics" when the DA leader had threatened to go to the Constitutional Court to prevent Zuma from becoming president. He criticised her for attempting to deny voters a choice between Zuma and other candidates, stating she was afraid of facing Zuma at the polls: "Zille is afraid of JZ [Zuma] and she is using a coward approach [by threatening to go to the Constitutional Court]. This is old apartheid tactics. When we say that people like Zille represent...the apartheid system, colonisers and are backward, we mean this. When they can't defeat them [opponents], they must arrest them and lock them up". ^[38]

Malema referred to Mbhazima Shilowa, former Premier of Gauteng Province and a senior COPE leader, as "an irresponsible father and security guard" in 2008, in an apparently demeaning reference to Shilowa's first job as a security guard ^[71].

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)

In February 2009, he fired latent hostility between the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party by announcing that he would take the ruling party's 2009 election campaign not only to Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, but to the very backyard and house of IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, in a bid to convert his own children. The following day there was a firm response from the IFP Youth Brigade, challenging Malema to carry out his promise.^{[ citation needed]}

Later that night, Buthelezi himself put out a statement evincing his "extreme condemnation" of Malema's "derogatory" palaver, which was "contrary to the tenor in which we, as political opponents, contest elections in the spirit of our constitutional democracy". ^[72]

Buthelezi also said the following about Malema's political nescience:

It is clear that Mr Malema, who is still at an age younger than the number of years I have served my country, does not understand the unspoken rules of politics." ^[72]

Malema's comments were later described as "unfortunate" by the ANC who said that they "affirmed their respect for Buthelezi". ^[73]

He later indicated he respected, but did not fear Buthelezi. ^[74] He considers Inkatha only a "Mickey Mouse," "cultural" organisation, not a political party. ^[75]

Democratic Alliance

He has called Helen Zille, the DA leader, an "apartheid spy", ^[76] a "racist, colonialist and imperialist", a satanist, and a "little racist girl", despite Helen Zille's having had very strong involvement in the Black Sash and other anti-apartheid movements. ^[51]

He also said the role of her deputy and DA chairperson, Joe Seremane, was "to smile at the madam." ^[77]. Zille hit back by describing Malema as an "inkwenkwe", a derogatory Xhosa word referring to an uncircumcised boy. ^[78]

Malema is, in fact, uncircumcised ^[78] despite circumcision being a rite of passage in Pedi culture as well. Zille later qualified her "inkwenkwe" remark by stating that she used it because Malema "was insulting Joe Seremane, who is older than him. An inkwenkwe can't insult an ixhego [an elder], and that is the context in which I referred to him as that." She described Malema as "rude and disgusting", saying, "I am sick of this rude boy. He must go get a proper job." ^[38]. In response, Malema indicated that ritual circumcision is not the purview of women since "women are not allowed to speak about it." ^[79]

On the Redi Direko radio talk show, he offered to debate Zille. ^[80]

He has called the DA Youth Wing "Zille's garden boys." ^[77]

In a March 2010 speech, Malema claimed that Zille was a "satanist". Zille announced that she had instructed her lawyer to sue Malema for defamation [4].

UDM

He said United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa was an "apartheid general". ^[81]

Independent Democrats

After the 2010 tender controversy ( below) broke, Patricia de Lille, leader of the Independent Democrats accused Malema of tax evasion, stating that "It is extremely likely that … Malema is stealing from the poor through tax evasion ... contrary to what he has been saying all along", and submitting questions to various government ministries on the status of Malema's companies. ^[82].

In response, in a controversial speech in March 2010, at the University of Johannesburg, that began with the "kill the boer" song ( above), Malema made derogatory remarks about Patricia de Lille. ^[83]. ^[84]. However, following the revelation of Malema's involvement in a stake for ASA Metals ( below), de Lille said "If these allegations are true then Malema is certainly not as stupid as I thought he was, although he is a lot more dangerous than I ever expected" ^[85].

Pan Africanist Congress

On 21 March 2010, Malema accused the Pan Africanist Congress of "hijacking" the protests that led to the Sharpeville massacre, leading to "outrage" [5]. The Pan Africanist Youth Congress of Azania (Payco), which had previously accused Malema of having "bourgeois and opportunistic tendencies" [6], threatened to kill Malema over his statements regarding the Sharpeville massacre [7] [8].

Opinions on the economy

Malema has opined on Jacob Zuma's understanding of the economy, saying that it amounted to "put a bread on the table (sic), we don't want sophistication". ^[86]

Nationalisation of mines

Malema became a vocal advocate of nationalising South African mines [9]. Although the ANC, including Mining Minister Susan Shabangu, and president Jacob Zuma [10] made it clear that this was not ANC policy [11], Malema continued to advocate this position, attacking Shabangu and De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer [12] [13], as well as the secretary general of the ANC-allied South African Communist Party, Jeremy Cronin ^[87]. His calls for nationalisation reportedly unnerved investors in South Africa [14].

Involvement in bid for stake in ASA Metals

On 14 March 2010, the Sunday Times reported that Malema had been a member of a consortium that had bid on a R250 million stake in a ferrochrome mining operation, ASA Metals, in his native Limpopo province. Malema had been removed from the coalition, and that within two months of his removal, in October 2009, he began calling for the nationalisation of mines. ^[88]

It further reported that Malema had softened his position on nationalisation after the stake was awarded in early 2010, and that he had emerged as a major lobbyist in the deal. The newspaper stated that Malema may have started the nationalisation debate as a means of pressuring the majority owner of the mine, Chinese company Sinosteel to relinquish its stake in the mine. The paper further reported that senior ANC politicians in Limpopo believed that he started the nationalisation debate to divert attention away from the deal. The ANCYL, through spokesman Floyd Shvambu denied that Malema benefitted from the deal, and "played down" the league's stance on nationalisation when asked for comment. ^{[89] [88]}

Comments in Zimbabwe

In April 2010, during a visit to Zimbabwe Malema again called for the nationalisation of mines, saying he would intensify his campaign for the confiscation of mines, following the example of Zimbabwe's land expropriations ^{[61] [32]}:

"We want the mines. They have been exploiting our minerals for a long time. Now it's our turn to also enjoy from these minerals. They are so bright, they are colourful, we refer to them as white people, maybe their colour came as a result of exploiting our minerals and perhaps if some of us can get opportunities in these minerals we can develop some nice colour like them."

Tender controversy

Reports about Malema's involvement in state tenders (contracts) ^[16]began appearing in November 2009 ^[90]. By February 2010, questions about his apparently lavish lifestyle were raised by the South African media ^{[91] [92] [93] [94]}. Reports that he made R130 million from tendered state contracts in his home province, Limpopo were widely published ^{[95] [96] [97]}, although Malema denied the allegations, claiming he resigned from the companies when becoming ANC Youth League president, it emerged later that one of the companies was established a month after his election ^[98]. As the controversy developed, it was reported that Malema was facing a challenge to his leadership. He also provoked the ire of the ANC's left-wing alliance partners ^[99], amid calls for the tenders he was awarded to be investigated ^[100]. The ANC Youth League declared discussion "closed" about his business dealings, however, following a week of intense media pressure, which included Malema accusing one of the media outlets, City Press of forging his signature on documents that showed he was still a director, a press conference was called by the League to "clarify" issues ^[98]. The South African Minister of Transport announced that an investigation would be launched into the construction of several roads and bridges, built by one of Malema's companies in Limpopo, SGL Projects, which were washed away by rains soon after being built due to extremely poor build quality. ^{[101] [102]}. Malema's company was also implicated in a failed project in Mpumalanga amid allegations that the tender was awarded by the mayor to "buy Malema's protection" ^[103]

In response to the allegations, at a rally at a university campus, Malema, sang an old anti-white song "kill the Boer" [15], and lashed out at opposition politicians Helen Zille, and at Patricia De Lille who had called for his tax affairs to be investigated, claiming Zille was "suffering from satanism" and discussing De Lille's married life, and daring the authorities to investigate his tax affairs. He also attacked COSATU general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi ^{[104] [105]}.

Jacob Zuma later defended finance minister ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who had been attacked by the youth league [16] [17]. However, when questioned in parliament, Zuma declined calls to investigate Malema [18] [19].

Threats to expose journalists

A few weeks after the tender controversy was first reported, the ANC Youth League released the personal details of City Press Investigations Editor Dumisane Lubisi, his wife and his children, including their identity numbers, bank details, residential address and vehicle details ^[106]. Lubisi had reported on the poor construction quality of the Limpopo projects carried out by Malema's firms ^{[107] [108]}.

The City Press, in an editorial, claimed that Malema's actions were as a result of him being "cornered" ^[109]. When journalists refused to publish the information on Lubisi, ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu allegedly responded "you next". The ANCYL stated that it had information on journalists sleeping with politicians in return for stories. It further claimed that journalists accepted bribes in return for stories ^{[110] [111]}. In response, a large group of political journalists complained ^[112] to various authorities within the ANC and to the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) stating that they viewed the release as an attempt to intimidate them into not publishing further stories, and as a threat to media freedom. They further questioned how a political organisation obtained sensitive personal information without breaking the law ^{[113] [114]}. The Sowetan newspaper, in an editorial, called the steps to silence journalists "tyrannical", and accused the ANC Youth league of exploiting its closeness to "state and institutional power", to intimidate journalists who wrote about Malema ^[115]. SANEF also released a statement supporting the journalists ^[116].

Malema then issued a statement that the ANCYL would continue to expose journalists ^[117]

Jacob Zuma, in an address to the National Press Club, described the investigating of journalists as "shocking", but Zuma also asked "when does media freedom become tantamount to the harassment of an individual", referring to the ongoing reports of Malema's activities ^[107].

Malema continued to claim that he was the victim of "white boer journalists" [20], and that he did not care what the media wrote ^[32].

References