WATCH: Why I apologise for supporting Zuma - EFF's Malema

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema began Youth Day on Friday by speaking of his love for his grandmother‚ which soccer team he supports and why he does not believe in a personality cult within a political party.

In a wide-ranging interview on MetroFM‚ he also apologised to the nation for previously supporting President Jacob Zuma against Thabo Mbeki.

"The Polokwane conference was necessary‚ we should never have long presidency no matter how smart Mbeki was‚ he had to go‚" he said in remarks reported on the EFF's Facebook feed.

"The problem came when Zuma became obsessed with power and did not want to have one term as he promised

"We take responsibility because although the quest to bring a new president was good‚ we brought in the wrong man.

Malema said he did not allow his face to be printed on official EFF t-shirts‚ explaining: "We must never subscribe to personality cult. I always make sure to promote the brand EFF and not an individual."

The EFF leader categorically stated that he does not believe in crime of any sort‚ including attacks on farmers.

He said: "I don't support anyone who kills farmers. There's no EFF people who were ever sent to kill farmers."

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Expanding on how he does not believe violence is the answer‚ Malema said:

"I come from a very violent community where everything is resolved through violence. So I make sure to introduce a different culture.

"I make sure those around me know that persuasion and the power of reason is better than violence."

Malema also spoke of his love of his grandmother and his respect for how she raised him.

"I don't know my dad. My mother never wanted to speak about it and now she is passed on. My grandma also does not want to tell me.

"But I grew up in a company of a lot of father figures in the movement so I never felt the vacuum." Describing his gran as being "everything to me"‚ Malema said "everything she wants she gets... my grandma never has to ask for money‚ I don't wait for her to ask for it".

On how he selected which soccer team to support‚ Malema explained: "I became a Pirates follower because someone told us when we were young that when OR (former ANC leader Oliver Tambo) came back to SA he stayed at Irvin Khoza's house".

- TimesLIVE