Julius Malema is fast becoming a national treasure: the pantomime’s grand dame of South African politics.
He is also, unwittingly, a fabulous source of national unity: he draws us all altogether in mirth, condemnation and embarrassment. Yet, I am convinced the media have, largely, invented Malema’s personae with our connivance. It is a shame that the media are handing a megaphone to someone whose philosophies (I am stretching the elasticity of the word) are so injurious to it.
There are two factors here. Firstly, the media do not have a responsibility to report Malema’s insults (unless they breach the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in which case he should be reported to the HRC) and, secondly, the media do have a responsibility to report Malema’s policy positions because he is the leader of the ruling party’s youth league.
Malema intermittently strays into the public policy arena like an errant puppy with his leg cocked up, peeing everywhere. It is here, the grist of policy, where the fellow should be subject to fierce scrutiny. He seems to be fascinated by mining; a sector in which production contracted a staggering 32.8% in the first quarter of 2009 which led to a 6.4% decline in GDP.
He was at it again last week: “We seek to implement the ANC’s Freedom Charter and it says that mineral resources must be owned by the people,” he told the annual conference of the Black Management Forum. “Capitalism doesn’t know spirits (of the ancestral kind) but we know spirits,” he spookily added in an unintended double entendre.
Instead of dutifully reporting his remarks, why are the media not asking him, “Umm, how dude?” And as the chairperson of the ANC Youth League, is it not unreasonable to expect him to crisply explain government policy? I would stay in to watch him on Third Degree or Carte Blanche throw light on the directive of the mining charter’s code that: “A mining company’s executive must now be 40% black, while the board must comprise ‘demonstrable HDSA fiduciary participation’.” (I don’t know what this means, and I’m pretty sure it’s incomprehensible to Malema too). Why does no journalist worth his or her salt ask him how he squares security of tenure, regarded as second only to geology when assessing the viability of new mining projects, with his nationalisation waffle.
Instead of dutifully reporting Malema’s insults about Helen Zille, Mangosuthu Buthelezi and others, the media should be inviting him to account for his views on prime-time television and radio. He should be told politely, but firmly, by the interviewer: “Mr Malema, personal insults never got anyone anywhere and we do not provide a platform for them. But you are a political leader. With your undoubted interest in the mining industry, would you please explain your position on ‘creeping expropriation’?”
This coming Thursday, Nick Griffin, the British National Party leader, who is an MEP, will appear on the BBC programme Question Time, after they won a seat in the European elections. Complaints about Griffin show no sign of abating: on Thursday Alan Johnson, the home secretary, challenged David Dimbleby, the programme’s host, to withdraw the invitation to the BNP because of its “foul and despicable” character. But I think there is a solid case to let the “foul and despicable” character appear. Like Malema, the true fear is that pretending he doesn’t exist merely gives his menace wings. Let Malema face real questions about real issues in real time. And when he does, he will skulk off like a reprimanded puppy in no time.
The fact is that Malema has as much influence over public policy-making in the ruling party as I do: zilch.
Yes, the African National Congress enjoy a good laugh as much as the rest of us, but turkeys, especially superannuated ones, do not vote for Christmas. Malema is certainly not being groomed for the leadership of the ANC party. Nor are he and the minors going to nudge the ANC leftwards: the government knows that the taxpaying crust is precariously thin, and the fragile public policy “covenant” is exactly that. The magician’s knack is, always remember, to draw the audience’s eye away from the trick: “talk left, act right”. After all, why do you think, to borrow the title of a movie which dive-bombed in 2001, the Mummy Returns?
Talking about mothers of the nations, Margaret Thatcher once felicitously said every prime minister (or president) needs a “Willy”. In Malema’s case, her words were prophetic. But, really, why, oh why, are we are getting ourselves into a flat spin over the ANC’s homegrown inversion of Pieter-Dirk Uys’s Tannie Evita? Why do we give him the “oxygen of publicity” — like I just have? Come on: life and work, for the best part, should be “fun, fun, fun” to quote Noel Coward. Surely, we can find something, or someone, funnier than Malema to tickle our fancy? Come on!
As you may or may not have realized, leadership in the ANC is a popularity contest.
Leaders are voted into their positions of power. If Malema maintains his popularity among the masses there is actually an outstanding chance that he will end up in the ANC leadership structure.
Yes the media inventd Malema, it was they Desperate for news that calle him millitant, then malema went around telling people “am millitant ya”
why not encourage the media to put a blanket boycott on Malema? The man is one of the many errors created by god when she created all men!
Derek James
Superb and on point. My only concern is that historically South African politics has the uncanny ability to promote turkeys into positions way above where they should be. I think he is a conservative, a thug, a national boil that needs lancing and a joke but Malema is streetwise and will be a bigger thorn in our country’s side than we realise.
The M&G wrote a report a few weeks back, trying to understand Malema’s popularity and appeal and delved behind the man’s juvenile uninformed chirps. They found an operator with clout and with dirt on some big names. Malema is a street fighter. You won’t beat him with solid reporting and an expose in front of the intellegencia. You need to make him look small in front of his power base. Then, like all bullies, he is history.
Excellent post, Jon. Agree with most of what you say, but not that he unifies the country. He may unify groups within the country but not the country as a whole – on the contrary, he is divisive and damaging and perpetuates the “us-them” mentality.
Some stats you might be interested (for a piece of my own): in an IOL search over a random three-month period (July-October), “Julius Malema” returns 96 articles (including 49 that have his name in the headline). More than all politicians in the country except JZ and HZ. Most ministers have fewer than 30 articles. This for a guy with 600,000 followers (apparently), or 1.2% of the population, who has no influence over party or government policy.
Jon, but you just made him even more important, maybe you shou keep mum like me. See, I didn’t mention his name at all.
Jolly good, but I suspect Robin and Grant are right.
Only a few years ago I didn’t have a clue who Jacob Zuma was. Then his antics convinced me he didn’t stand a chance at the presidency. Now, wow: is my face red?
The very people who would want him there least, are in danger of promoting this man into the top position in our country, simple by runnng a campaign on his behalf. Be careful! Be very careful!
Mugabe didn’t seem mad at first. Look at him now…
I agree.
Instead of the media asking Malema poignant, relevant questions with regards to his policy views – which would undoubtedly reveal him for the imbecile that he is – they have instead focused on his childish rants.
The effect of this has been two-prong:
Firstly, the media have attacked Malema and inadvertantly given him an air of credibilty in the eyes of the masses because headlines are continuously devoted to every last ridiculous comment he makes.
Secondly, the continous attacks and the completely unecessary focus and condemnation of every insult he hurls have turned him into a martyr for those that see themselves as downtrodden and without a voice. Thus the waxing of his popularity.
As the article rightly says, the best thing we and the media can do is to completely ignore him for the non-entity he is and pepper him only with question relating to public policy. The rest of his antics are just background noise the likes of which exist in every major democracy world wide. Except media in those countries aren’t gullible enough, and intellectually poor enough, to authenticate it by continuously reporting it as relevant political news.
Secondly, the media
Jon Cayzer
When Thabo Mbeki complained about liberal whites,who want reward because once or twice they said something about apartheid,he was talking about people like the columnist.Now he is telling us shutting Malema up,will be best for South African democracy,while he forgot that Tony Leon,Helen Zille,Mangosuthu Buthelezi,Lucas Mangope also have shouted ‘insults,it is just that Malema’s ‘insult’ frightens the minority and entertain the majority as what he speaks,is reality and truth.
If economic and commercial jargon can be used to shut Malema,the columnist is greatly misled,the 1912 people in Bloemfontein,the people in Kliptown when Freedom Charter was adopted,never worried about that,instead they worry about the question of land,which is the provider of food and livelyhood,that is the language that Malema understand very well,not what is said in board-rooms and lecture walls of Business school.
“…Malema is certainly not being groomed for the leadership of the ANC party. Nor are he and the minors going to nudge the ANC leftwards: the government knows that the taxpaying crust is precariously thin, and the fragile public policy “covenant” is exactly that. The magician’s knack is, always remember, to draw the audience’s eye away from the trick”
Utter rubbish! Who are you to tell us about the ANC & its future intentions?
Last time I checked you were Mangosuthu’s spindoctor (or let me stretch the word: the “private secretary “), you therefore are expected to write extensively about his boy, Thulasizwe or about Gatsha himself, and please, for the good of your tiny organisation or your tyrant wannabe, leave the African National Congress or its leaders alone. Surely, after what Gatsha & his ilk did in the late 80s and early 90s, your hands should be full with terrific stories that entail his involvement in the past regime.
Just like you said and I previously said on Tapido’s blog, the media gives Malema all the airtime he requires – you included. It actually relects on the quality of the media, that they have nothing better to report on. If he is the leader of the ANCYL and were actually ellected to that position it also give the general public a good overview of the type of brains available. Ignore him and he will disappear like the morning mist!
Well, interesting isn’t it? We all call ourselves ‘intelligent’, and yet here we are, getting sucked into arguements concerning Malema. We should consider ourselves as guilty as the media. Great minds as they say discuss ideas, not people. If Malema is not that smart, then why bother even mention his name?
i must disagree, the media has no obligation to cover the utterances of JM unless its an official statement from the anc on youth matters. JM should do standup comedy cos then at least he’d be able to earn a living for himself, so that the ancyl wouldnt have to get the anc to pay him with money that came from the cream on the taxpayers expenditure
Joy Cayzer, you are insulting a person you have never met. At UniZul the media selected that portion which deals with Mangosuthu Buthelezi but our President spoke more than an hour.Dont blame Malema but the media.Mr Cayzer did you apply to be a private secretary?
……. that is all this guy is worth!!
Jon, absolutely hilarious and spot on! I must admit that every time I look at the farce that is South African politics I am reminded of a song that was rather popular quite a few years ago called “The Lunatics Hace Taken Over The Assylum.”
Our beloved country lacks leadership and discipline. Everything else we experience is a consequence of these 2 shortcomings. Our country needs nation builders, people at all levels who selflessly find common ground amongst our various cultures and tirelessly build bridges to bring us together.
Politicians cannot play this role given the landscape and the divisive purpose they choose for themselves and their followers. Politicians choose to criticise each other and their respective followers! It is for this very reason that I choose not to belong to any political party because the framework within which they operate breeds conflict!
It is only people with no agendas, no baggage and no political party, who can build bridges and heal the nation! Politicians don’t do this because if they did, they’d be unemployed!
What did your politician do for you today? Probably nothing! The question is, what did he do for himself? Just read the newspaper!
To coin a cliche, “Be the change you want to see!” Politicians will not do it for you!
Malema’s problem is bigger than the media:
http://richmarksentinel.com/rs_articles.asp?catid=2&recid=661&pcurr=1
See list of Malema’s predecessor. He is now Deputy Minister of the South African Police Service
Full names Mr Fikile April MBALULA
Synopsis Deputy Minister of the South African Police Service 2009;
Presiden of International Union of Socialist Youth;
Vice-President of Botshabelo Student Congress; Secretary of ANC Provisional Youth Committee;
Date of Birth 08/04/1971
Place of Birth Free State
Country of Residence South Africa
Nationality South African
Career
Chairmanships
President International Union of Socialist Youth 2004
President African National Congress Youth League 2004 2008
Vice-President Botshabelo Student Congress 1987
President Botshabelo Youth Congress 1986 1987
Sorry! HAVE
I think you’re totally missing the breadth of Malema’s influence. Wishing him away in mulungu terms makes not a jot of difference to his real power base, which is the largely uneducated and naive working man. His primary medium of influence is not the media, in any event.
He may not be a high level leader right now, but if he succeeds in winning enough support he’ll become a leader by default, like it or not.
It is worth considering if the media can ‘invent’ a person, as it is suggested.
The media has not, for instance, ‘invented’ me and everyone must be able to see at once that if it were to ‘invent’ me it would be because I had done things that were newsworthy. In other words, I would made some contribution to the process.
Of course the media can increase or amplify a person’s fame or notoriety and Malema loves to pursue what is a two-way relationship.
Another reason to read:
http://richmarksentinel.com/rs_articles.asp?catid=2&recid=661&pcurr=1
Derek James I love you big time all said and done
The selection criteria for presidency in the ANC is not a man of merrit,responsability or integrity but rather a man opposed by the previously advantaged.
This is the typical ANC pattern we will see for years to come
Malema makes a perfect candidate
I take Malema seriously.
Take Hitler who no one took seriously in his beerhall rabble rousing brown shirt until he got power and started sending Jews to the gas chambers.
Take Idi Amin the clown; until people around him started dying in their thousands at the hands of the State Research goons.
Take Mobutu for an example an affable chap friends to Ronald Reagan and of course until Congolese started dying in their hundreds of thousands.
Take the Catholic Church in Europe. A Very Holy Church, taking over from Peter until the Inquisition started to hunt down its “enemies.” Even today its dark shadow still stalks the thoughts of Europeans. Very few Euopeans acknowledge their pagan past (and have embraced a truly superstitious religion with saints and relics and “miracles”).
Then there is Malema. He is not yet there. But each day I watch him closely because there’s nothing as sinister as the man who truly believes in his one-track mind and has state power to “prove” it.
The remedy from this kind of fate is dialogue between the races and a serious attempt to learn and know each other and the expansion of one’s knowledge of the world and openmindedness.
I also fear leaders who try very hard to please everyone and do very little thinking. I also fear those with power and without knowledge or wisdom and rely heavily on the herd instinct.
There is a very nice analogy about the media. It should be a Marketplace of Ideas. Where the supply and demand of contrary ideas settles naturally at the equilibrium of “true” ideas supported by all beyond race and creed.
I dont like South African media: it is parochial, pursues a narrow agenda seeks to influence people by self-appointed gatekeepers who keep out ideas they dont like. And like Bullard said in his confession last year, it hunts people instead of ideas down!
Look there’s no truth or falsehood we are all interested in the way you have arrived at your truth and how you defend it. It’s helpful because I may adjust my own frame of refence after knowing yours.
The media should supply such a platform where we can earn respect or come to the unpleasant realisation that my ideas are infact half baked.
Those who take Malema lightly, do so at their own peril. This guy is hell-bent on vengeance. My advice is “get out” ASAP. Hanging around in the hope that things will change, is an exercise in futility. The masses will witness their leaders run that country into the ground, at the expense of their own suffering, yet they will continue to support them to the hilt. This is the African way.
The ANC is a populist party with populist politicians who wouldn’t last long in elsewhere. Malema is a symptom of a very pervasive disease in the ANC.
Anyway, the ANC these days is nothing more than an affiliate organisation of an unelected COSATU.
Time to vote for one of the opposition parties.
It is ironic, but the article is not the story here.
That this burningly awkward and desperate, poorly educated, adolescent idiot (something we all encompass) gets so much attention is because most of the readership wants to believe he is typical of all blacks, while some of the readership is frightened that this image will be made to stick.
The news is that the latter have good reason for their fear while the former desperately want to make it stick. Goes to show the latter (the evidence includes the M&G) are the idiots.
Malema needs his Mum. Hope she is around despite the best attentions of the idiots.
All strength to her and all mums, and good luck Malema.
Malema does not need me to defend him from the media.He is always talking to people who wants to hear him speak.He has also extended an olive branch to those who have been made to fear him.I recall when he came to the Northern Cape, he visited Orania and even campaigned for his party.
I think what this blog exposes is, who is the media and whose interests do they serve?The media in SA want us to believe that we fought for a vote,during the struggle.According to them,ours was not a struggle against racism/capitalism.We removed racism from the statutes and were left with the evils of capitalism.In such a situation there will always be a response and thus we should be given the space to respond accordingly.If a voice like JM comes to the fore,let it be even without the help of the media.That is why they only quote JM on bytes that make sensational reading for the interests the media want to serve.Those interests include the myth called ‘Swart and Rooi gevaars’.
For a change we do not have a leader who does not intellectualise about the continuous struggle against the evils of capitalism.JM may not say it in a thousand words but if you get the essence of every speech he makes,one can tell that he says things our parliamentarians are not allowed to say due to some code/ethic set.
Jon, you’d do well to consider Zuma’s latest utterances : “The Star newspaper reported President Jacob Zuma describing leader Julius Malema at the weekend as a “leader in the making” and worthy of “inheriting the ANC”. Just media invention ? Think again, bro.