Juju puts his hat in the ring

12 July 2013 - 03:15 By OLEBOGENG MOLATLHWA
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Former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema flanked by, from left, businessman Kenny Kunene, Mpho Ramakatsa and former ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu at the launch of the Economic Freedom Fighters at the Constitutional Hill in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema flanked by, from left, businessman Kenny Kunene, Mpho Ramakatsa and former ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu at the launch of the Economic Freedom Fighters at the Constitutional Hill in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
Image: MOELETSI MABE

It was always going to be a well-attended media event, the first public outing of Julius Malema as the self-proclaimed commander-in-chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters.

And the expelled ANC Youth League leader did not disappoint yesterday.

He said his EFF was founded on the principle of accountable and clean governance.

"We are founded on the basis of anti-corruption," he declared. "No one found guilty of corruption . will wear the beret."

Asked about the charges of corruption against him, Malema blamed political interference but seemed also to long for the protective cloak of ANC membership.

"When we were inside the ANC, we did not get a tax bill. Now that we are outside, we get an abnormal tax bill," he said, referring to the R16-million in taxes that the SA Revenue Service says he owes.

Despite the charges against him, Malema is still popular. The language he speaks - often delivered with very little measure and ample amounts of fire - resonates with many young black people. His talk of nationalisation and expropriation of land without compensation is music to their ears.

The problem is that the constitution clearly stands against what he advocates, so his ringing promises might end up being empty.

The irony of the venue of yesterday's party launch, the old women's jail on Constitution Hill, seemed lost on Malema.

Such irony will no doubt have little impact on the decision of many of the country's youth to throw their lot in with Malema.

However, there is also a real possibility that many of the black youth will reject Malema.

One school of thought argues that Malema's message carries weight because of his previous association with the ANC, a party whose struggle credentials are valuable political currency.

But that is the beauty of this moment. There is a large group of disgruntled voters, some going to the polls for the first time next year. These people represent a space inviting political contest and a battle of ideas.

Malema and his warriors will be contesting it.

"Comrades, people are saying it is cold outside of the ANC. It is cold but we are making it warm. We are a protest movement. We are among the masses. We are targeting prominent people on the ground," he said.

Malema was frank about some of the other factors that could hamper his fledging party's future existence.

The EFF is broke. Painfully so, according to Malema.

What is to be done?

Well, how about embracing your poverty and wearing it as a badge of honour? Or perhaps turning that poverty into your own unique personal branding?

That is the direction he and his warriors seem to be taking.

"We are not going to have fancy rallies. Even if we wanted to have fancy rallies, we don't have the money ."

Jokes aside, Malema knows first hand the costs associated with running a political party. For the sake of immediate success, he will have to keep his newly acquired socialist leanings at bay while he flirts with capitalism.

He looks to have done just that, judging by events following yesterday's media briefing. He was whisked away in a new model BMW 7-Series, a car famously called "a tool of the trade" by one of Malema's fiercest critics, Minister Blade Nzimande.

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