By Lucky Ntuli
As South Africans, it is exhausting and frustrating to have to explain time and time again the behaviour of our politicians. In this particular case having to explain the childish, nonsensical, never amusing and utterly embarrassing Julius Malema. Now, I do not know the “man” nor do I want to. I do however want to take him and the ANC leadership, from the NEC to the ANC Youth league, to task.
It is striking to me, and I am sure to many of my country men, that perhaps we are witnessing this behaviour because of a lack of understanding by this young “man” of politics and geo-economical fall-out from politician statements and tendencies. Most troubling to me is the total disregard by this nincompoop and his cohorts of the sacrifices that have been made to see the progress South Africa has achieved to date.
Before there were the Malemas, there were the Mini’s, Chief Luthuli, Dr. Xuma, Lillian Ngoyi, Joe Gqabi, Sisulu, Mphahlele, Gordimer, La Guma, First, Slovo, Hani, Gert Sibande, Duma Nokwe, Mxenge and countless others. There were the fighters who fell in Angola, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zambia abd at home in South Africa and there were those who had to face the hangman’s noose for a just and honorable cause. These are the people who must be turning in their graves today because the NEC has failed to take this “man” to task.
Who is this “man”? Who is he to weekly, if not daily, single-handedly manage to cause so much angst and frustration? My fellow brothers in arms did not lay their lives down and die in ambushes so their efforts could be so thwarted by Malema.
On behalf of all the heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice, I call on the NEC and the people of this beautiful country of ours to take this “man” to task. Where is the leadership? Why is it that he cannot be taken to task like Yengeni? The ANCYL has had great cadres and leaders in the past — need I mention Mandela? Perhaps this should not be so as this “man” deserves never to be mentioned in the same breath as Madiba. Are the cadres who spent years on Robben Island happy about this? Is this what they spent those cold nights in prison for? Have the cadres who were savaged by mosquitoes in Angola forgotten what it was all about? Have the people who were bitten by police dogs, “sjamboked” by police for marching with Cosas and detained on countless occasions forgotten what it was all about?
Is it all now about lining ones pockets illegally, openly defying laws and verbal abuse of those who dare question “him”? What has happened to the members of the NEC who rode on military convoys in Angola openly defying the Unita and Koevoet thugs, with the full knowledge that the first RPG fired by the enemy could end their lives? What has happened to the spirit of Hani? Is this what Chris died for Tokyo? Is this what my 26 fellow comrades died for on that fateful summer night in Angola? On that one night, we lost fighters with whom I stood side by side and am sure this “man” would have crapped in his pants.
What has happened to our country? Why are we allowing politicians and thugs to plunder the wealth of the nation? To understand what this was, is and will always be about, I would like to quote one of those who lead for the right reason and belief in the cause before the likes of this “man” destroys this country.
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for, and to see realised. But my Lord, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Nelson Mandela, defence statement during the Rivonia Trial, 1964.
Enough is enough.
Good piece. I’ll let Camus and Orwell take this one:
“The slave begins by demanding justice and ends by wanting to wear a crown. He must dominate in his turn.” – Albert Camus, The Rebel
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” – George Orwell, Animal Farm
This is such an emotional piece and on my part I can understand where you coming from. You did not make all those sacrifices for someone like Malema who today personfies everything that is wrong within the ANC.
The big question therefore is why are our so called leaders giving this imbecile so much leeway to do and say as he pleases? Is he in possession of inforamtion that can thwart their future political ambitions?
It is bad cause everytime he opens his cakehole, the whole nation cringes yet no tangible action is taken against him.
Under Zuma, the ANC is at its weakest since it was unbanned.
As members, the only thing we can hope for is that the Municipal elections next year demostrate to the so called leaders how much support they have lost since this thug has been trust in our face.
Like you my brother, I am sad at the state of affairs in our movement.Very sad!
@Michael Liermann: Well quoted! Methinks Orwell’s one insults the pigs ….
Emotively and well argued.
Is it too hard to imagine that Malema is merely a tool in the hands of the modern ANC, which is trying desparately to retain relevance in a liberated society; a tool to stir up the divisiveness which keeps the ANC “liberation struggle credentials” and “revolutionary” tag alive.
The ANC of Nelson Mandela liberated us from the evil of apartheid; the ANC of Zuma seeks to liberate us of our tax-money. This ANC needs Malema to maintain their grip on power, which allows them unfettered access to feed at the trough.
A conspiracy theory? Maybe so…
Moving piece. Thanks
You know the world cup is truly over and vuvuzelas silent when people go back to Malema.
How old is this blog?
What are you talking about? In what way is the embattled head of the ANC Youth League “thwarting” anything that the 200-odd members of the NEC and the thousands of officials and cadres across the country seek to do? He was, after all, brought before a disciplinary hearing and found guilty.
If you are unhappy with the situation in the ANC and the government, shouldn’t you be aiming your criticism at the National Working Committee or the Cabinet?
Amen to that one. Well said Lucky. Indeed why???
But according to the current ANC leadership, Doctor Julius Malema is presidential material. Winnie Mandela claimed to have trained this intellectual giant herself. So what are you complaining about sir? We the SA youth simply luvs the antics of Doctor Julius Malema, for we dont know any better.
Maybe the writer has not realised that there is always an ulterior motive to the cause of the terrorist collective. Usually that of power.
The writer likely realises but refuses to accept that the collective are masters of creating myth from outright lies and educating the ignorant with those myths. The same use gifts of promise to maintain power.
In every case throughout history once power has been obtained the ideals used to gain power fall away.
Simply put those you listed are part of the so called disciplined collective. The collective by nature never goes against the general flow. The result is little or not decent.
That being so it should be plainly obvious that the collective believes in those actions you deem saddening.
Many like yourself must therefore accept that you are but one of the many pawns hoodwinked and abused by the collective to for their own gain.
It is up to you to decide if it is expedient for you to continue your support for the collective that has wronged your ideals or work outside for the cause in which you believe.
Greetings from the old foe [I was in the opposing trenches' in Angola and was ostensibly doing my bit to keep the 'red tide' from over-running Cape Town:\
May I congratulate you on your piece and say how much I agree with you on all counts.
I say there is little to benefit our country with the likes of Malema [and many others] continually voted into positions of power. These people merely serve to legitimise the policies of the past.
Yet it is not for me to have the likes of him/them removed from power; but rather for his/their own kind [the multitudes]to do the job.
The public needs to smarten up at the polling booth.
For that, education is required.
Just a thought: could it be that the powers have deliberately destabilised Education in this land…?? >:0
This is a good piece, but is it going to serve it’s purpose? God bless Africa!
Maxx2 said:
“As members, the only thing we can hope for is that the Municipal elections next year demonstrate to the so called leaders how much support they have lost since this thug has been trust in our face.”
Maxx2, I assume that when you say “as members” you mean “as members of the ANC”. Does this mean that you will vote for someone other than the ANC? God forbid that a member of the ANC should vote for anyone other than the ANC, let alone the likes of the DA.
If you, and other members, won’t be depriving the ANC of your support, why is Malema that much of a problem for the ANC? At least he serves as a distraction from all the other shenanigans and embarrassing goings on in government…
Well said!
Malema is a product of the post-apartheid ANC… which is vastly different from the ANC/ANCYL we supported or joined during the last century.. even though some of the same ‘cadres’ are now in lead positions in the present-day ANC and Govt… Maybe they want morons in the ANCYL so they get to stay in the pound-seats of ANC and Govt/BEE etc longer? So they look like better options (as repeat-rulers?) to the rest of the country? Malema, the ANC and ANCYL are today a real dark and ugly blot in the history of the ANC and ANCYL, & the shame is that the ANC itself has created this.
The morality and attitude of the last century is gone and now the ANC/ANCYL is all about bullying, cheating, lying, conniving, disingenuity, abuse of power/funds/people/you name it, then avoiding, more bullying and malevolence, and of course that all links to them ‘protecting’ their power, position, and massive material self-gain… The modern ANC/ANCYL is all about me-me-me-and-my-connection-to-top-dogs and has littel to do with the nations’ true wellbeing, or the spirit of the Charter.
I appreciate your speaking (writing) out Mr Ntuli, and your reflection on real experience of the struggle. The ANC/ANCYL needs a big ‘thintha lerole’(dusting out) … or people like us must (painfully, unhappily) accept we have to find or make an alternate political home
@Lucky Ntuli – Thank you. At last, someone gets angry enough to say what should be said. I have been waiting for too long. Judging from some of the trivial comments here, how this democracy was won, the dirty, frightning, life destroying details have been all but forgotten by a population who, I am starting to think, sadly deserve the Malemas of our world. The type of reasoning that allowed this “man” to rise so high is what we should really take issue with and whom we should take to task for, you are right. They are insulting every great mind that suffered and fought for the freedom to be educated to think wisely and act well.
Education. The first thing that Hitler did was to burn the books. Our cabinet and government is made up of uneducated people who cannot run the country but are good at singing and dancing. The revolution is over (or should be) but the ANC has to maintain the ‘revolution’ in order to keep the votes of those who know no better. Malema was ‘disiplined’ – was he? Most of us know that he is the revolutionary mouthpiece of the ANC as he is never sanctioned and he is allowed to continue spewing hate speech and drivel for the benefit of his adoring idiot followers. Mandela presented himself at the final ANC election rally and asked us all to vote ANC. He seems to have forgotten the speach that he gave before he went to prison. The rainbow nation is dead as most of those dreams have been looted.
The NEC – what NEC? They are the lackeys of Zuma and will do his bidding. Malema lives of the fat of the land and is protected by the ANC. His looting will continue. The unity created by the World Cup is anti ANC and soon we can expect the politicians to revert to their hate and war talk. They cannot stay in power with service delivery because they don’t know how to do that, so wave machine guns and killing farmers is easier.
Lucky; I disagree with the basis of your piece.
I believe that the only difference betweem Malema and the esteemed former cadres of the revolution is context. When fighting apartheid, the enemy was clear and any tactic was acceptable. Many of the people mentioned in your piece performed or sanctioned despicable acts in the name of fighting apartheid and would be branded criminals if they did these things in today’s context.
You can’t blame Julius for doing and saying the same things as his revolutionary heroes did 30 years ago.
What has been missing from the ANC since 1990 till now, was a “ringing of the bell” in recognition that the revolution is over. None of our Presidents Mandela, Mbeki or Zuma had the courage to do this.
We cannot then be surprised or blameful of any person who behaves as if they are still fighting the revolution. Nobody has told them that it was over.
@Lucky
I am not sure why you see the need to take on the role of apologist and “explain” the current ANC or ANCYL / defend the indfensible.
The ANC is finding the transition from liberation movement (Cosby family versus Hitler aka the Apartheid regime)to operating government that needs to govern and make sensible choices rather difficult.
There are very few, if any examples in history if liberation movements becoming sound effective benevolent governments.
From an ANC perspective, perhaps there is an element of ex exiled “leaders” versus those who fought the struggle?
By the way, the armed struggle did very little to force the National Party to the negotiating table, or liberate the country – investment sanctions trade sanctions did that.
The evidence I have seen suggests that many of the ANC foot soldiers have gained very little reward for their touble.
In my view a big part of the problem in SA is that a huge number of voters revere their (political) “leaders”, will not criticise them, and are quite happy for them to behave as they will.
Politicians the world over are rent-seeking dog excrement that should be treated with the utmost suspicion and cynicism, and be subject to stringent checks and balances.
The Mandela’s, John F kennedy’s and Eva Peron’s of the world are the exception that come along once in a blue moon (and even they have skeletons rattling away in a far-flung cupboard).
Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,
Malema is only taking advantange of the liberties which anyone in a democratic country such as ours can do: speak his mind. It is up to people to ignore him or glorify him. Unfortunately by giving him space and writing a piece on him you continue to glorify him.
He also represents a constituency which thinks like him and i can tell you they are not a minority. Think of all the suffering black people with little or no education and nothing against their name. His message resonates with this crowd.
@Mike S
My understanding / perception of the ANC/ANCYL/SACP position is that the “revolution” – known as the “National Democratic Revotultion” consists of various phases.
The first phase was the removal of the Apartheid regime and its’s replacement by a (ANC dominated) democratic order.
The next phases are the eradication of poverty, bridging of the income gap, provisions of decent housing and decent education for all etc.
Seen from this perspective, how on earth can you tell them that “the revolution is over”.
The “revolution” is a peaceful one, not a military coup.
Or was there a famous MK victory on the battlefield that I am unaware of?
Lucky, help me out here – this is my percception, and may not be correct.
Yeah, yeah. Juju is awful. So what? It surprises me that you people get so anxious whenever Juju opens his mouth. You all admit that he shouldn’t be taken seriouslsy because apparently he’s some nut job and yet you insist on reacting to his “babble”.
What should worry isn’t what he says per se but rather that there are hundreds of thousands of angry young black people that agree with him.
I loathe the fact that even when he does raise relevant issues like the redistribution of wealth in this country (or lack thereof) in post-Apartheid SA it is quickly dismissed just the because it comes from an “idiot” like Juju.
In short: confront the real issues or find something else to talk the hell about.
@Lucky,Michael Liermann… I don’t know you, but I recognize you.. Your sentiments echo deep, in the hearts of all men of integrity… May I quote ‘Les Miserables’
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!
Having never been an ANC sympathiser in the political arena, I can hardle expect to be objective. But I really think this is a goob blog because it shows that there are people within the ANC who are. That’s a big plus; not necessarily for the party.
The ANC seems to me, to be its own worst enemy. A move to vote for another party does not need to be for life. The idea of democratic voting is to vote for the party you think most likely to deliver the needs of the country. A little competition has never hurt any political party. The loss of power keeps them on their toes.
If changed votes in the next overall set of elections were to make the ANC sit up and take notice, they will have served their purpose and who knows? Perhaps the second time the ANC ruled the country they might do a better job of listening to their people.
If the ANC loses its present power, I can’t imagine they’ll keep quiet during their sabbatical.
Hey Lucky, great piece of writing, mate. By the way, I was one of those “thugs” you are referring to. We were all hoodwinked, brother. The old Nat regime installing the fear of God amongst it’s white citizens regarding the dreaded threat of communism (we have the Yanks to thank for that), and in your personal instance, believing that you were fighting for a cause which would see all black people in South Africa truly liberated. My Angolan escapade stretched from 1980-1983. My efforts were instumental in keeping a couple of old white farts in power, and your efforts are now proving to be likewise, keeping some black farts in power. I understand your frustration, mate. However, this is the way of the world. Politicians simply have no scruples.
those who teach bloody instructions, should know that such instructions always come back to plague the inventors. those behind the lessons the young man is being thought should beware. When the falcon no longer hears the falconer, things will fall apart and the center will not hold.
@Lucky: moving and emotive. Balanced, well thought out, logically reasoned and genuine. Good piece; well done!
Perhaps this is why the “100,000 youths” listen to Malema? Reason and logic does not appeal to them. This is why the educated population (such as yourself) are getting fed-up with millionaire tenderpreneurs with standard one who do not deliver.
I was watching Al Jazeera the other day and the interviewer asked a lobby group chairman why the banks are foreclosing homes to let them stand empty. Every second answer the chairman gave the term ‘for the American people’ came up. Nice rhetoric while he was doing the exact opposite with the money he got from the very same people he was leaving homeless…
And now this “man” is coming to Khayelitsha, ostensibly to campaign, but we who have seen it all before knows that, once again, innocents will get hurt, the wrong people will be blamed, and all to try and close the gate on stampeding cattle, it is inevitable, they have smelt the predator and even the threat of violence will only work for so long to keep them inside. The most dangerous threat to cattle is one of their own turned predator…
I support and salute you Lucky. I too, regrettably, was in Angola in the 80’s. I was at a school in Soweto yesterday helping them establish a vegetable garden. A school of 1000 pupils without a single computer. Julius is a decoy. The real problem lies with the ANC NEC and their business partners in crime. And with those that keep them in power. It is up to us to stop the continued rape and pillage of our country by a select few. All of us.
Remember that both Hitler and Mussolini rose to power from Proportional Representation, who as populist leaders used a Youth Movement to gain their power – with the hellish historical results
I think John Carlin (ex london independent correspondent and writer of Invictus) summed it up perfectly in his recent article entitled “Yes, they can” published on 10 July 2010. He said:
“It’s been a spectacular success. Everything according to plan, smooth as silk; South Africa successfully re-branded; no unpleasant surprises, and plenty of pleasant ones.
Not a cheep, for example, out of the ludicrous Julius Malema, who the ANC wisely locked up in the attic, as you do with the mad live-in relative when important guests come around.”
Why keep someone around who’s international reputation tarnishes all the positive progress our country is making!
What was “smooth as silk”? Did you miss the erratic electricity supplies, ticketing hassles, prices going up and down, strikes by security guards, three weeks of lost schooling, street traders intimidated, fans arrested, screwing up bus and train schedules leaving commuters stranded, airport snafus delaying fans past the end of the game, an ending ceremony that schoolkids could have done better, the despotic Mugabe (actually INVITED for Pete’s sake), white-elephant stadiums, police chiefs lying about ‘security smears’, newspapers hiding crime, closed highways that lost millions in revenue for businesses, late park and rides, poor stadium security, xenophobia, vuvuzelas, etc.? ‘Cause I didn’t.