The consequences of the campaign being waged by Malema and Friends of the Youth League to make mines ungovernable are contrary to the aspirations of South Africans in general and young people in particular. Miners will lose their jobs based on the employers' operational requirements and/or the mines will close.

The question is: Is the campaign directed at mine shareholders, the ANC, the government or President Jacob Zuma? Perhaps the campaign intends to show that Zuma is not capable of protecting foreign investors and that the ANC alliance leaders are interested only in their own enrichment.

Be that as it may, the campaign is negative and it alienates Malema further from his sympathisers.

My advice to him and Friends of the Youth League is to look beyond Mangaung and campaign to change the lives of the poor and the working class. The point of departure is to make sure all illegal strikes at mines come to an end immediately.