ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema made like the strolling figure depicted on the bottles of fine whisky he reportedly has a taste for and "kept walking" during the league's "economic freedom" march late last night.
The league's spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, dismissed as "clearly sick" news reports that Malema took rides along sections of the organisation's walk from central Johannesburg to Pretoria.
"These journalists ... claim that president Julius Malema was in a car/van whilst the rest of the protesters were walking on feet (sic)," he said in a statement late last night. "This is a desperate and disgusting lie."
The procession was reportedly near Midrand at about 10.30pm.
At the Caledonian stadium, where the marchers were holding a night vigil before marching to the Union Buildings today, the sweet smell of dagga hung in the air late last night as the die-hards sang and toyi-toyied. About 2000 league supporters had streamed into the stadium by 10pm and taxis were ferrying more people into the city.
Several exhausted people said they took taxis from Old Pretoria Road, saying they could march no longer.
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