The outcome of the disciplinary process against ANC Youth League President Julius Malema has elicited much comment – not all of it very well informed. Opposition parties have (predictably) decried the “slap on the wrists” for Malema, while some commentators have argued that the outcome augurs well for President Jacob Zuma as the sentence imposed on Malema will muzzle him and will prevent him from making trouble for the President – at least for the next two years.
Who knows where the truth lies.
More interesting though is the reasons given for the dropping of some of the more serious charges against Malema. It has been stated that these charges were prepared by Gwede Mantashe, who was not authorized to do so as he was not the person actually charging Malema. The charges were therefore procedurally deficient.
Despite this, Malema was eventually found guilty of contravening Rule 25.5.(i) of the Constitution of the African National Congress “by behaving in such a way as to provoke serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organization”, in that:
At the ANC Youth League Limpopo Provincial Congress, on Sunday, April 11, 2010, when addressing the media, you issued the utterance that, “Even (former) President Thabo Mbeki, when he differed with the Youth League, and the Youth League had taken firm radical positions against him, he never did that” thereby implying that the ANC Youth League, of which you are the President, has taken a position against the President of the ANC.
Whether this outcome can be squared with rule 25.2 of the ANC Constitution is debatable. This rule states that disciplinary charges shall not “be used as a means of stifling debate or denying members their basic democratic rights”. Although I am not a great fan of Juju’s style of politics, it is difficult not to conclude that his offending statement was basically true and that he had a democratic right to make it. The finding of the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) suggests that an ANC member who criticizes a fellow ANC member – even if this criticism is based on fact – may face disciplinary charges, something that seems rather undemocratic to me.
Surely, if this approach were to be strictly applied, it would stifle democratic debate within the ANC and would severely limit the freedom of expression enjoyed by ANC members. If an ANC member criticized one of his comrades because that comrade had been found guilty of corruption, say, disciplinary charges could be instituted against him or her for sowing division within the ANC. This would leave good members in the ANC who spoke out against the wrongdoing of comrades vulnerable and would make it rather difficult to raise questions about the conduct of fellow ANC members – even if this criticism is based on proven facts.
This seems rather counter-productive and even dangerous. Surely we need more ANC members exposing and criticizing their comrades for doing the wrong thing – not less of it? A culture of corruption and lawlessness flourishes where good people fear to speak out and to criticize their comrades.
I suspect the ANC Youth League will pursue this line of reasoning in its attempt to have the findings of the NDC overturned by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC.
According to the regulations attached to the ANC Constitution, disciplinary charges can be brought by “any organ or official of the ANC at Branch, Regional, Provincial or National level”. The National Disciplinary Committee is also empowered to hear and decide cases “referred to it by the ANC National Officials, NWC, or the NEC or of very serious violations or offences on its own initiative”. A charge must be prepared on behalf of the organ or officials of the ANC instituting the disciplinary proceedings.
This suggests that Mantashe should not have prepared the charges, but that these should rather have been prepared by the person actually prosecuting the case on his behalf. This is, as far as I can tell, why the three other charges against Malema were thrown out. However, the NDC itself is empowered to hear cases “on its own initiative” where the charges are serious. This the NDC did, choosing the one charge mentioned above.
This suggests the NDC did not feel that the other three charges regarding Malema’s visit to Zimbabwe, comments about Eugene Terreblanche, and the attack on a British journalist were “serious”. The NDC apparently believed it was far more serious for Malema to have criticized the President of the ANC than to have interfered with South Africa’s foreign policy, to have ignored ANC instructions not to comment on the death of Terreblanche in order to calm the nerves of the whiteys, and to have displayed a rather shocking lack of respect for media freedom.
To my mind the whole disciplinary process seems like a side show as it skirts the real problem with Malema. Newspaper reports suggest that Malema has R53 million in the bank, that he is a major shareholder in companies that had secured tenders from various municipalities in Limpopo despite the fact that the companies were not eligible for tenders because they had no tax compliant certificates, and that the companies did shoddy work. If any of this is true, Malema is the quintessential tenderpreneur, milking the state dry for his own benefit – to the detriment of the people whom the ANC was elected to serve.
If these allegations are true – and it is difficult not to suspect that there is a grain of truth to them, given the confusing and contradictory explanations and justifications offered by Malema and his failure to sue the newspapers for publishing these defamatory claims – it would suggest that Malema is a thoroughly corrupt man who is using and abusing his position in the ANC for personal gain.
Surely, if the ANC wants to retain the trust of the majority of South African voters, it needs to deal with the growing perception that leaders like Malema are using their power and influence to get rich while service delivery is fatally compromised. Is this perception – now widely shared by people of different political persuasions and races – not far more detrimental to the well-being of the ANC and the people of South Africa than the mild criticism Malema leveled against our President?
Of course the chattering classes are far less dependent for their survival on the efficient and honest functioning of the state than the poor and marginalized in our society. The chattering classes hire private security companies to protect them, hunker down in gated communities where services are delivered by the body corporate, and eye the opportunities to enrich themselves through legal and illegal means, while those who are absolutely dependent on the state are left to their own devices. That is why members of the chattering classes get more worked up when Malema sings “Kill the Boer” or when he jets off to Zimbabwe, than about the allegations that poor black people in Limpopo had been fleeced by Malema through tender scams.
What we all desperately need – whether we are ANC supporters or not – is for investigative journalists and honest ANC members to expose any corrupt practices linked to Malema or any other ANC leaders. If alleged corruption by ANC politicians or their enablers in the private sector is not mercilessly exposed and stopped, the legitimacy of the state itself will be endangered. And once the state loses any legitimacy, it would lose the ability to keep the fragile peace in South Africa, a peace that is required for the chattering classes to continue enjoying the benefits of their wealth and privilege.
Sadly, the outcome of the disciplinary case will do nothing to address these real problems.
PS: What we also need is a police service and a prosecuting authority that will go after those suspected of corruption, whether they are in government or the private sector. That is why the appointment of Menzi Simelane seems like such a disaster to me.
Political education from jailbird Tony X4 Yengeni? – this ANC really does have a sense of humour!
@ Pierre,
“it is difficult not to conclude that his offending statement was basically true and that he had a democratic right to make it.”
He may well have had a democratic right to respond – he simply could have called the President personally and said so.
As usual, with rights comes responsibilities – the latter seemed to have missed the future President.
In any event this was not about two organisations differing in policy or philosophy. It was about Malema attempting to publicly belittle and undermine the President (or is it the Office of the President
) – that cannot be considered a right for any disciplined member of the ANC.
Prof – you have a pretty warped view of what constitutes the “chattering classes”, who – in your opinion – are filthy-rich, evil capitalists, even criminals, who “eye the opportunities to enrich themselves through legal and illegal means”.
However, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2006), the chattering classes are “educated people, especially those in academic, artistic, or media circles, considered as a social group given to the expression of liberal opinion about society and culture”. Not the sort of people, surely, that you describe in your post. And generally not the most highly-paid, either, you would agree. But they certainly pay their rates and taxes, with which the ANC-led government then does as it sees fit.
Corruption by ANC politicians (and their enablers) is exposed on a daily basis by the media and opposition parties, but nothing ever happens, and we all know why not. All that the chattering classes can hope for is that, one day, the masses will see the light and vote these politicians out of office. There is no other way.
Relax Clara, Pierre has a constant need to reinforce his credibility with the powers that be by sniping at soft targets like Helen Zille, whites in general and the “chattering classes”. A lot of white lefty commentators do it. Otherwise people might notice that he’s white, has a lot more in common with Zille than he dares admit, and is one of SA’s most prominent chatterers. This is a personal blog, right?
Fortunately, he’s also often right and adds an independent voice to the chatter, much of which is pretty unoriginal. Long may the chattering classes continue to chatter, since it often seems their hot air is the only buffer between the citizenry and increasingly authoritarian government.
The corrupt ANC take action against the corrupt JuJu – now way, he’s just folowing in Dr Evil’s footsteps. They are more concerned with his slight to JZ – I mean what could be worse than being compared to Mr Mbeki?
Here’s an interesting one – how many people would welcome back Thabo with all his faults over the current kleptocrats? Methinks TM knew just how bad JZ and his mini me(s) would turn out to be, he just played his cards terribly badly and helped them… Ironic isnt it?
@ Clara
Indeed, they are “given to the expression of LIBERAL opinion.”
Herein lies the problem.
Maggs, when Jeremy Cronin was force to apologise by Thabo Mbeki for warning against the “Zanufication” of South Africa under Thabo Mbeki’s ANC, the chattering classes (of which I am of course a paid up member) deplored this high handed action by Mbeki, suggesting it demonstrated Mbeki’s dictatorial tendencies. Now that the target is a less popular Malema, everybody is applauding the (what Ronald Suresh Roberts might well have called) illiberal censuring of Malema. Malema should be taken on when he says idiotic and dangerous things – also by ANC leaders – but is the disciplinary route really the right way to deal with criticism of fellow ANC leaders? It seems to me the other charges that were withdrawn were far more serious and far more worthy of disciplinary action than the one that he was punished for.
Pierre says: “…Surely, if the ANC wants to retain the trust of the majority of South African voters, it needs to deal with the growing perception that leaders like Malema are using their power and influence to get rich while service delivery is fatally compromised. …”
Sorry, Prof, but you are wrong.
The ANC has the trust of the majority of South African voters. This irrationality is the biggest problem that South Africa and South Africans face; given what we know about the ANC today.
Rather than concentrating on the ills and evils of the ANC, discourse should rather focus on the irrationality of the South African voter, and how this ‘disease’ can be cured. Here are some points to ponder:
• Illiteracy. Most voters don’t have the luxury of comprehending the rational thought of the chattering classes. The ANC knows this very well and it thrives on it.
• The majority of the voters, because of past experiences, view White people with skepticism. Let’s face it; the majority of those who are prepared to expose the evils and incompetency of the ruling party are mostly non-Black.
• Disinformation. The ANC does a good job of painting those who disagree with them as either racists or counter-revolutionaries. The gullibility and credulity of their audience makes this job easy.
• The victimology mentality clouds their judgement. They are not aware that they hold the power to change their destiny in their own hands. They have not fully grasped the power of the vote.
A friend of mine from West Africa once told me that he was not aware that Black South Africans are so stupid. Being a Black South African, I wish he did not use the strong word ‘stupid’. I would rather prefer ‘credulous’. Stupidity is incurable, but credulity can be cured. Let’s find this cure.
Dumisani Mkhize says:
May 13, 2010 at 21:17 pm
Who in your view is a viable alternative to the ANC?
If there was such an alternative, on what basis would the average voter be sure that the “ills and evils of the ANC” would not be found in such an alternative where it ever to gain power?
I think you are entirely wrong in saying “the majority of those who are prepared to expose the evils and incompetency of the ruling party are mostly non-Black”.
Most of the “evils and incompetency” is being exposed by the ANC led government – the sensationalising comes from other quarters.
@Maggs Naidu
Since the new political dispensation, we have had only one ruling party, the ANC. Other parties have not been tested yet, as such I am not in a position to objectively state which other party is a viable alternative. But that is beside the point.
What could cure the ANC (and any other would be ruling party) is the thought that if they don’t deliver to the satisfaction of the constituency, they will be voted out of power. If voters would be prepared to vote for any other party – other than the ANC – then this message will resonate.
The voters are doing the ANC a favour, and not the other way round. Trouble is, the average voter is not aware of this obvious fact – and that is where the problem lies.
Whatever do you mean “the sensationalising comes from other quarters?” What sensationalising?
Maggs is right.
There is no alternative to the ANC.
The DA is composed of racist liberals who are in favour of capitalism.
I am not interested in any of the other parties.
JZ has said all the right things.
@ Dumisani,
The others are just not up to the task by virtue at least of not having made a credible case for themselves – thus the voters can hardly be accused of being irrational.
Sensationalising of exposes is what I referred to.
Keep doing what you are doing, and you’ll keep getting what you are getting, they say.
Keep voting the ANC and you’ll keep getting what you are getting. Sigh!
Mikhail Dworkin Fassbinder says:
May 13, 2010 at 23:01 pm
Hey you Apostrophosizing Dwork,
I did not say there is not alternative to the ANC.
I asked what is the alternative.
Do you want a lecture on quotation marks?
Exclamations?
Commas?
Dumisani, it pains me that you think of ANC as like other parties, that need to be punished for bad governance by the withholding of votes, transfers of support to competing parties, etc.
ANC is not a party in the liberal sense of the word. Think of it rather as a political movement with a finley tuned self-correcting internal mechanism. If an ANC member has a problem with the direction the ANC is taking, he does not run off to one of its political competitors. Instead, he or she works democratically within the party structures to get it back on track.
Rights Maggs?
finley = fantastically
Surely, there would be three ways to alter the dynamic of credulous voters?
First, as described above – the issue of voters realising it’s their choice, combined with a credible alternative (ie one that can’t be linked to the apartheid era, and can credibly claim “liberation” credentials)
Second, find a way to enforce the separation of state and party – isn’t that where the main tool would be the Constitution, prof? For instance, in many parts of SA, the grants are (made to be) seen as coming from the ANC, not from the tax payers and the State. That link requires breaking. The law enforcement separation is key in this, I suspect.
Third, make the looting less ‘risk free’ – critical in that is a press that does what it is supposed to do in a democracy – a press that more precisely articulates the impact of the tendertheft and all that – and goes after individuals in a way that becomes clear to the communities. And there’s an element in the ANC that is motivated to curb the stealing, I believe – they should be mobilised and supported.
Maggs, are you as excited as I am by the report this morning that Cmd JM and his Exco is to attend a two week intensive military training course at Saldanha naval base? Spokersperson Mabaya says they will learn “precision,” map reading, and how to “dive and swim.”
Yes!
Mikhail Dworkin Fassbinder says:
May 14, 2010 at 8:06 am
“Rights Maggs?”
Hey Dworky,
You’re confused. Again!
As best as I can make out, those who have “a problem with the direction the ANC is taking” run off and form a new party.
Then they can create the problems with the “direction” all on their own.
There is another strategy as well – first you try and convince government to allow people to use their conscience and switch to other parties without losing their positions. Then you wait for the switching in large numbers. Then you cry foul after the large numbers are in the opposite to what you thought would happen.
When all else fails, the an effective strategy is to complain that the ANC is bad for democracy and you lobby the World Bank not to loan South Africa money. And when WB ignores you then you say how corrupt WB is.
Another strategy when you don’t like “direction the ANC is taking”, is to make loud noises and complain about everything, anything, even nothing.
The classic is to try and convince the voters that (a) they (the voters) are stupid , (b) the ANC is corrupt, (c) the ANC has not delivered anything in more than 15 years. Etceteras like Zanufication, Malemarisation, cadre deployment etc will add to the bag of tricks.
Then sit back and wait for the strategy to work – the stupid voters will suddenly become unstupid and vote in large numbers for your party.
And just in time too cos you-know-who will be back (you-know-who being the Terminator of course having left us with the famous “I’ll be back” growl.)
I am impressed by all the wise arguments that have been made that the ANC is bad news – now I intending switching allegiance as soon as someone, anyone, can suggest with sound reasoning an effective alternative.
Mikhail Dworkin Fassbinder says:
May 14, 2010 at 8:18 am
Yeah – I read that – I feel safer already.
“Dive and swim”?
That must be closely related to “duck and dive”.
pekkil monta says:
May 14, 2010 at 8:13 am
You’re kidding, right?
It must be funny Friday!
I wonder how much weight Juju will loose during a two week intensive military training course Will he be able to do 100 push ups and run the 2,4km in less than 8 minutes?
“ANCYL to ‘educate’ parent body”
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/ANCYL-to-educate-parent-body-20100513
Vavi on the button: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=108949
@ Chris
If you want to attack Cmd Malema on the issues, do so; just leave his weight problem out of it.
There is no room for fattism (or neo-racism, subliminal or otherwise), on this blog.
This fellow is amazing http://youtube.com/watch?v=95L-zmIBGd4
New Abbreviation
PIGS= Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain ( They are about to bannkrupt the Eurozone)
I thinks this sums Malema’s apology up:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/article38818.ece
Matshiqi says it like I wished I did: http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=108976
Pierre De Vos says: May 14, 2010 at 11:29 am
Indeed.
@ Maggs….“Dive and swim”? is also closely related to “drown”
@ Gwebecimele ……Missed the linkage. It is not new and it is actually spelt PIIGS or Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain, but who cares
Where is the gap in Willis’ logic, pray tell?
“As it is with employment, so it is with housing: one does not, in my view, ‘save’ jobs by making it more and more difficult to dismiss employees and one does not make housing more widely available by rendering the ownership of property which is let to tenants a serious economic hazard.”
‘they will learn “precision,” map reading, and how to “dive and swim.”’
This has to be a joke? All this in two weeks?
In addition to “precision”, Map reading, and how to swim and dive” I hope they are also taught discipline, obedience to authority and time-keeping, which were taught when my peers did their National Service.
“Map Reading” – do their fancy vehicles not come with Garmin or similar? Or are they really expected to walk somewhere?
The darn ANC with it’s corrupt cadre deployment policies at it again!
It’s time to Stop Zuma.
Again!
“Cape Town’s R67m World Cup tender fraud
Babalo Ndenze
May 17 2010 at 07:11AM
Alleged fraud linked to 2010 World Cup tenders amounting to tens of millions of rands is behind the arrest on Friday of municipal officials in Stellenbosch, a senior official revealed on Sunday.
And more officials are to be arrested soon as the investigation by the elite Hawks unit is widened to include more Boland municipalities. …”
http://constitutionallyspeaking.co.za/more-power-for-the-provinces/
Don’t you just love basking in the reflected glory of such educated people? Lawyers, nogal, who deal in fact, not conjecture.
Of course, it is correct to examine the issue from the angle of the unexplained millions and the collapsing bridges and roads in our northern province.
If it was up to me, however, I would be speculating about the half-full hotels during the world cup, wondering about Juju’s effect on occupancy rates. 500 000 visitors down to 300 000.
No-one has mentioned hosting an Olympic Games for a while.
I would be wondering what effect Juju’s utterances are going to have on Q2 stats, whether he has talked the country right back into a recession.
I would be pointing to the two occasions in one week minorities felt compelled to resort to the protection of the Courts, imploring them to restrain Juju from hate-speech which included leading chants calling for the murder of those minorities, when 1% of that minority has been murdered since 1994.
I would argue that it is ominous that a person who was restrained by the Courts from leading chants calling for the murder of minorities when 1% of that minority has been murdered in the last 15 years was undergoing paramilitary training and point to the similarities between his profile and that of the archetypal genocidaire.
I would have a field day over the ruling party ignoring all the above while punishing Juju for insulting them and their President.
But, hey, that is just me. Unprogressive.
Until people who are in positions of power who are obviously guilty of corruption, bribery and graft are tried and convicted nothing is going to change.
If they started with the unanswered questions surrounding the arms deal this might sort out a lot of the problems in our society.
All the debate on these issues will be forgotten and be meaningless until it translates into concrete action.
Butch Hannan
Brett Nortje says:
May 18, 2010 at 7:32 am
“But, hey, that is just me. Unprogressive.”
Hey Brett – self praise is no recommendation (or so the song goes).
Mikhail Dworkin Fassbinder says:
May 14, 2010 at 8:18 am
Hey Dworky,
I am so inspired by your recommendation that judges need at least 15 years commercial flying time.
Here’s a guy who almost qualifies to be a CC judge.
http://gizmodo.com/5540789/the-guy-who-flew-thousands-of-passengers-as-a-fake-pilot
Now here’s something novel!
“As you have seen, it is something you cannot describe, that human beings live in such conditions. We are taken aback to see what is meant by freedom if people still live in the manner in which they live.”
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article454635.ece/JZ-shocked-people-still-live-like-this
Our President apparently does not know that people live in abject poverty or appalling conditions.
The last one did not know of anyone who died as a result of AIDS.
Eish!
@ Maggs
This Councillor whose name is Freedom has no clue on the meaning of his name and we can’t blame him he behaves(drives a Hummer) like our Ministers with big cars.
Hey Gwebe,
That sounds like a good byline – Hummer, driven by Freedom.
The bothersome thing our our President’s surprise and dismay is if he really unaware of the true state of our nation, then we are really in trouble.
I wonder if he has been made aware of the Green Drop Report or the terrible goings on at Grootvlei Gold/Aurora.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Cop-arrested-after-farm-attack-20100523
Cop arrested after farm attack
A police constable has been arrested for attempted murder, North
West police said on Sunday.
Lieutenant-General Lesetja Ephraim Beetha said the constable,
aged 34, was allegedly part of a group who attempted to rob a
farm outside Schweizer-Reneke on Friday.
The farmer apparently heard gunshots on his premises and saw
three people entering through the gate.
After another gunshot was fired, the farmer drew his own firearm
and shot back.
The suspects fled on foot.
Neighbouring farmers began a search for the robbers.
SAP equipment found
They stopped a woman who was driving a bakkie on the Hartsfontein
gravel road.
The police then arrived on the scene and searched the vehicle.
“In possession of the driver, police found her police
identification certificate.”
A gun, and a police-issue torch and two-way hand radios were
amongst the items recovered by the police.
A police appointment certificate belonging to a person who
resigned from the force in February was also found.
The vehicle was registered in the name of the police officer who
resigned.
The constable, stationed at Florida crime prevention unit, was
immediately arrested and detained.
On Saturday, police arrested another person believed to be part
of the robbery gang.
“We have been informed that the third suspect – [the] resigned
police official – will be handed over to the police in due course
by his legal representative.”
The two arrested will appear on a charge of attempted murder at
the Schweizer-Reneke Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
- SAPA
Wise words from President Malema.
Malema also admitted that he had not yet attended anger management classes.
“One of the things I have learnt is never rely on any individual who is in politics,” he told the BBC correspondent.
Maggs Naidu says:
May 18, 2010 at 10:50 am
He should know. After all, his nephew Khulubuse Zuma is Aurora’s chairperson
One of the other directors of Aurora is Michael Hulley, the president’s lawyer.
@ Chris
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-05-14-aurora-charged-with-polluting-nearby-river
Maggs Naidu says:
May 25, 2010 at 11:48 am
And it seems the Minister knows as well.
BACK TO BASICS
Obama after his election started with the cutting of salaries of top civil servants in the Whites and also challenged private sector especially financial sector to do the same. Cameron in UK ran on a ticket of cutting top civil servants salaries by 5% and yesterday Spain has also indicated on cutting senior civil servants salaries by 5%. More governments in the Eurozone especially the PIGS(Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain) are implementing cuts in public expenditure and that should hurt the demand of SA products in Eurozone. The recent decline of JSE and our jobless growth should be sending warning signs to those in charge.
The reluctance to review the Ministers Handbook of the famous 750i BMW and the sheer arrogance of avoiding glaring conflicts of interests amongst public officials and bribe masters will decide our future if left unchallenged. Politicians seem to be the only group that gives birth to new shareholders or Tenderpreneurs.
Our salaries of Public Officials were increased by 7 % despite warnings from only one man, Pravin Gordhan and as if this was not enough, these positions are a matter of life and death by those who want to get close to the tenders. The Planning Commission, Parastatal Review Committee, BEE Council, M&E unit and others may not save us from what might be on our horizon.
The full throttle on feel good parties (World Cup) and other wasteful expenditures rather than much needed infrastructure such as housing, roads, hospitals and schools is regrettable
How wish we would want to be ranked amongst the best on Education and Health with an equal or more effort than 2010.
Gwebecimele says:
May 25, 2010 at 13:44 pm
Source please?
Whites = White House
@ Chris
Me
Next on the DC line.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/ANCYL-to-vandalise-Cape-Town-20100525
Gwebecimele says:
May 25, 2010 at 14:27 pm
That is sheer criminality.
Let’s hope that the ANC takes action – those are people who need to be expelled.
Maybe Juju can show some leadership skills – now is the time, the time is now!
@ Gwebe,
hahahaha – someone has borrowed from you!
“The handful of ANC MPs who attended the briefing were lavish in their praise for Malema.
“The president has spoken,” said one MP.
“We are very happy to have such a wonderful ANC Youth League,” said a second.
A third MP added to the praise: “You have got a very sharp mind. I think you are going to get us out of poverty. I hope you keep it up.”
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article470904.ece/Malema-calls-for-mining-licence-moratorium-ahead-of-nationalisation
@ Maggs
After loyal Whipping what did yu expect.
After 7 yrs of hunger the poor are about to eat cake.
Cmd Malema has a lot to learn — and a lot to teach us all.
He has always stuggled.
One day he may lead us all.
Thanks.
[...] That is exactly why I warned after the conviction of Julius Malema that it was a bad idea to find him guilty of criticising the President of the ANC. At the time I wrote: [...]
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=79&art_id=nw20100608151127893C209729
ANCYL ‘disgusted by insane Afrikaner’ June 08 2010 at 03:22PM
The African National Congress Youth League is disgusted by “the insanity” of “some” Afrikaner farmer who had reportedly lodged a genocide charge against its leader Julius Malema at the International Criminal Court.
“The ANCYL is disgusted by the attention seeking sentiments and insanity of some Afrikaner farmer from Rustenburg who has reportedly lodged a complaint with the International Criminals Court about the singing of liberation songs in South Africa’s ANC-led liberation movement,” the league said in a statement.
The ANCYL said the laying of the charges was an attempt by right-wing elements to divert it from its main political programmes.
“The issue of liberation songs is currently before South African courts, which have issued an interim interdict on the singing of some of the liberation songs until the ANC has successfully defended its struggle and liberation songs and heritage.”
The league said it had never engaged in any criminal activity because it was aware that this would undermine the freedom its “forbearers” had fought for with their lives.
“If there are people who committed genocide against our people, it is the Afrikaners who slaughtered many freedom fighters and innocent South Africans to protect the racist apartheid regime for many years and we have forgiven them for that.
“The reported complaint with the International Criminals Court has only come to our attention through media reports, and no communication has been sent to us by the ICC.
“We are more than sure that the ICC will never entertain some Afrikaner’s stupidity and insecurities, and should instead focus on prosecution of imperialist sponsored wars that continue to happen in the world.”
The league said as a matter of principle, it was encouraging all South Africans to beware of right-wing agent provocateurs, “most of who are beneficiaries of a racist murderous apartheid regime”.
“They recurrently abuse the rights fought for by the liberation movement in order to divert our attention from serious issues of economic emancipation of the black majority and Africans in particular. We are never shaken.”
According to Beeld newspaper, an unidentified Rustenburg farmer and his family left South Africa last week for safety fears after deciding to lay the charge against Malema.
Their lawyer, Fanie van der Walt, said the accusations against Malema were sent in writing to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands on Monday.
The charges relate to Malema singing “shoot the boer”, which the Rustenburg farmer interpreted as inciting youth league supporters to commit genocide against Afrikaans boers.
Shortly after being rebuked by the ANC, Malema changed the words to “kiss the boer”. – Sapa