Malema does not have potential to be a leader: survey

21 September 2012 - 12:19 By Sapa
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The ANC Youth League's expelled leader Julius Malema.
The ANC Youth League's expelled leader Julius Malema.
Image: SIMPHIWE NKWALI

Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema does not have the potential to be a future leader in South Africa, according to a survey by the Reputation Institute released on Friday.

Dominik Heil, managing director of the Reputation Institute SA, said on Friday that Malema could also not be seen as an "instigator of widespread unrest".

"Malema's rating in the leadership survey was the lowest of any global leader ever surveyed by the Reputation Institute," he said in a statement.

"This means that Malema lacks the emotional bond with a support base that would motivate them to follow his calls for action."

The survey found that Malema had failed to build an emotional bond with South Africans, which would allow him to get support among the country's lowest income earners.

However, Malema's continuous presence in "the public discourse" was a threat to stability and had the potential to seriously damage South Africa's reputation.

Heil said a country's reputation was based on whether people believed its people were friendly and welcoming.

"Malema's actions undermine the international community's confidence in South Africa as a welcoming, friendly and constructive country," he said.

"The fear and panic that has ensued is unwarranted, since he has no leadership credibility and is therefore unlikely to get people to heed his calls to action."

Malema was denied entry on Monday to an event at Wonderkop stadium, in the North West, where striking miners were to be briefed on developments about their wage demands.

After a lengthy discussion, Malema drove off, escorted by about 10 police vans.

A police helicopter circled overhead, and police on foot patrol ran to points of entry to the stadium, ready to stop him if he turned back.

Heil said the incident proved that Malema did not have the support base to justify the media's coverage of him.

The media needed to focus attention on more "critical issues".

"This only demonstrated how disconnected the political elites and the mainstream media are from the realities of ordinary South Africans," Heil said.

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