Edged in national memory is that picture of a fat youngster who — except for his skimpy underwear, is totally naked — drunkenly leading a protest during the chaos that was the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) elective conference in Mangaung, Bloemfontein. At that conference, Julius Malema was elected president of the ANCYL. How can we forget the naked pandemonium with which Malema broke into the big league of South African politics? He has not disappointed ever since, has he?
In this piece I wish to attempt a definition and an analysis of the Malema-style of politics — what, I for want of a better word, have chosen to name Malemaism. Malemaism is bluster in place of persuasive argument and aggressive defensiveness where a show of sorrow or apology might have sufficed. It is about making the most money in the quickest and easiest manner available in South Africa today: through, consulting, tender-preneuring and becoming a politician. Once the money starts flowing in, the thing to do is to engage in obscene consumption and top it up with a shameless display of the wealth that is being acquired. Malemaism is not merely and only about Malema. However, in his person, several aspects and various dimensions of the phenomenon come together. Let us not make the mistake of thinking Malema is a lone exception. And let us not neglect to notice the “rags-to-riches motif” which is part of the intrigue and myth of the Malema story. Here is a self-made youngster who pays homage to his maker, inspiring others to pay the same homage.
Malemaism is not so much a form of denial as it is a form of dismissal — dismissing without saying and dismissing without effort. Malemaism dismisses, for example, the importance and need of education. This it does in a variety of ways, chief among which is the notion of Julius as a role model. It also dismisses all notions of hard work as it is commonly understood. But there is something else dismissed and disregarded by Malemaism: the abject poverty of South Africa’s poor and their fate. What Chumani Maxwele, the jogger arrested and detained for allegedly showing the middle finger to Zuma’s blue-light brigade, is said to have done, is done by daily by Malemaists. They do it to the poor. In their arrogant press conferences, in VIP events for celebrities and through the fat parties they host in their tall houses, as they drink, chatter and clutter; they stick their middle finger to the poor. As they wheel and deal in the air-conditioned corridors of public and private sector offices, it is the poor they are offending. As their luxury ministerial cars speed through the squatter camps; as their 4x4s spray the playing children with the sewage that is flowing in the streets, the Malemaists are saying voetsek! to the poor.
Above all Malemaism is the art of distraction — the ability to constantly produce serious and not-so-serious issues for no particular reason whatsoever except for the purpose of national distraction. The more genuine the issues ring the more effective they are as distractions. No sooner are we all excited about the issue at stake than it is mysteriously relegated to file number last by both the media and those who broke it in the first place. As a result, we are a nation in constant chase — a nation jumping from one red herring to the next without depth and without consequence. Malemaism is about being adept at manufacturing red herrings, bogey men, straw men and all sorts of plastic issues. Out of the blue, within a month of the Zuma presidency, Cosatu tells the nation that Zuma will serve a second term. Where did that one come from? More recently, the same Cosatu has alleged that Mantashe and Zuma are the targets of a recall plot, which makes you wonder where that leaves Julius. They raised the issue of Trevor — South Africa’s “imperial prime minister” who wishes to control and direct everything. Remember Maroga, the poor rich man who ran Eskom, and the support he received from certain quarters? He is now trying to do to the South African taxpayer what Mpofu (of the SABC) did to the selfsame taxpayer. And why not? It seems easy enough.
When the Babygate scandal broke, the nation was told to keep its nose and hands out of the president’s private and personal matters. Ouch, that hurt, didn’t it? Even the belated apology failed to remove the shock and heal the hurt. Meanwhile, we are being recruited for the “great” national cause of the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank. Forty years after Zambia tried it with disastrous consequences — even as our own government parastatals are floundering — we are being recruited to the “revolutionary cause” of nationalising the mines. Why? Because the Freedom Charter said so! In the midst of these “great” debates, the president wishes to inaugurate and preside — like a talk-show host — over a new national dialogue on ethics and morality. A trifle rich, coming from him wouldn’t you think? While they starve and die in rural villages and in squatter camps, let us “debate” the “great” issues of (presidential) polygamy and (Zulu) culture. As if morality has nothing to do with economic exclusion, poverty and service delivery!
Disagreements within the alliance continue to throw up a number of juicy if also mind-boggling distractions. The latest is the call for lifestyle audits. Typically, the nation has reacted warmly and enthusiastically. The president says never. Cosatu says by all means! For the time being, Cosatu is the people’s ally (until the ANC and Cosatu make a joint statement at the end of which we will be told which ministry will be headed by Vavi). Meanwhile the media continues to conduct its own lifestyle audits — a euphemism for digging deeper into the affairs of the national problem child, Julius. Not that they need to dig that hard. Julius does most of the digging himself, every time he opens his mouth. All that remains is for the media to sift, glean and follow up. The question is, will Julius be buried in the hole he is digging or will he once again, emerge like a phoenix? As long as he lives in what appears to be a permanent state of presidential pardon I think he will emerge. But the fact that the media has been haphazard and uneven about it should not take away from their gallant effort. Thanks to the media, President Jacob Zuma did in five days what he has failed to do in eight months, namely, declare his financial interests as required by law. Maybe the secret is to embrace some of the red herrings tenaciously and to stay long with them until we find in and through them what our “handlers” never intended in the first place.
Everywhere I look, I see distractions, red herrings, diversions, baits and calculated interruptions. Distraction is not only Malema’s tried and tested strategy; he himself is a distraction. During the election campaign, that was his brief. Could it be that his current brief and strategy is to constantly and deftly distract the nation by churning out all sorts of serious and not-so-serious issues for no serious purpose whatsoever? We note that he has been growing desperate by the day. But while we fret, seethe or laugh at the latest bizarre words or inane act of Malema, he and his like are laughing all the way to the bank and they are powering their way up to the top politically. In short they are waving the middle finger to the poor of this country.
From my perspective, Tinyiko, this is right-on. When I arrived here I would say to myself as I turned on the news, “let’s see what’s happening in South Africa.” Now I say to myself, “let’s see what JuJu has been up to,” as that’s invariably the top story. He’s become the paradigm for “what’s happening.” National distraction indeed. He’s like a car wreck that the rubberneck media (and those who “like to watch”) simply cannot turn away from. In this he’s not unlike media-generated distractions in other countries, however.
Prof
I normally love the way you & Sandile articulate most issues, but i’ve got to admit, this time around, I’m deeply disappointed with this hot-air tabloidish tirade. Oh, I almost forgot, Sentletse is one of the most skillful writers in this platform albeit his bitterness.
You’re seriously dropping your standard. Unlike, Sandile Memela & Sentletse Diakanyo, you’re now believing & absorbing all the rubbish that has been circulated by the tabloid newspapers. You haven’t done a bit of research for this blog.
So disappointing. There are already too many Traps in this platform, we dont need you to be same…
When we saw you joining this so called “thought leader” block, we thought, here comes a voice of reason, only to realize now that your writtings like any other inside this block is influenced by mob-thinking. It has become so fashionable and the most easiest thing to write all bad things about malema and the ANC. All of you guys are predicable as you come from the same brainwashing pot, if you are not crying foul about Malema, you are either praying for a divided Alliance and incompetant ANC government. I dare you to read any piece of news, its always bad things about ANC and its democratic government, nothing about the economic system that is still controlled by whites and excludes millions of South Africans. You are busy auditing each other, reduculing each and defocusing each other from the main cause of the problems – the causes of of socio-economic problems facing our country was not cuased by Malema and focusing on Malema only serves the interests of those in the helm of the problem “Prof” – get some life
Thank you for that, my day was not going according to plan until then.
The following article had an interesting yet different angle on the Malemaism Syndrome, although, for obvious reasons, they do not call it that.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/7/82127/52412/195/549996
Whilst not being about him, or us, I found it describes a very similar type of person from a country that is far more practiced than us at being a multicultural democracy and still have racist issues as well, as their name for the same syndrome would show.
What is apparent from both your analysis and the writer of the link’s article is that the universal annoyance with this type of person’s behaviour stems from the annoyed’s helplessnes at explaining how these I#$%s get it right? How do one break every single rule in the book, do all the wrong things and, especially, have completely all the wrong attributes for success and one still make it, big time? Study? Phish! So, how do one deal with this after a lifetime of slog and narry a Rand to show for it?
I got myself an AK47 maintenance manual for my birthday, and already I’m feeling much better, lightheadedly so. Next, I’m getting a makeover, with Brandnames, fake or not. Because, as ELO once said, Its all an illusion, Oo Oo Oo Ooo. Image apparently carries more weight than hard work and positive results these days. Go JuJu!
Out of all the shallow reportage style criticisms of malema, this is one of the first newspaper articles I’ve seen really analysing this recent phenomenon in our politics. It appears to be about a person but it is not. It is our slavish devotion to personalities which is sharply revealed here. Many of us on the left, obviously older, have seen the dangers associated with this style of politics. We’ve seen how genuine revolutionaries are killed by colonial or imperial sponsored agents- often from within liberation movements themselves. West friendly local thieves with no accountability then muscle to the top ending in virtual genocide amongst poor people.
This is populism and it underpins fascist dictorship. Besides violent colonialism and apartheid, this new kind of politics (which is not that really that new) is the often the most deadly kind of politics. The most terrible thing is that poor people often worshipped gods like mobutu and bokassa just like deeply flawed and corrupted personalities are worshipped in SA.
It’s way too easy to place this article in the basket with more conservative knee jerk critics. Their criticisms may have grounds but there is deliberately shallowness to those pieces which only distracts us into name calling. This is not one of those pieces and instead of kneejerk ignoring it, we can engage.
Dont mind the heel-snappers Tinyika. If enlightened guys like you manage to sort out this country one day, these guys will still be biting you as you rescue them.
This analysis is spot on. Others say you are selling out by believing the tabloids, but hey, when it comes to Julius Malema, his words, uh, speaks for itself! The media merely has to report, verbatim, anything he has said, and our judgment of the man goes one way. There IS NO other way it can go.
Malemaism is sad. Only a perverse political system could keep him in such an influential position.
Excellent writing, and excellent analysis. I am looking forward to the day when Malema the person ceases to be in the news…and second, I wonder if ANC is not digging it’s grave by allowing COSATU to influence political decisions!!
You have just described how politicians conduct themselves in most African countries. Malema is nothing new in Afrca terms.
Well said. Truth, when it is told without fear or favour, tends to separate the sheep from the wolves, leaving the latter naked in either their grovelling/ingratiating attitudes or hopeless defence of their masters who are being exposed for the liars that they are.
This article is right on the mark; however the audience it should be targeting is out there in the streets of the townships and the rural areas. I strongly suggest that articles of this nature should be printed in the most spoken languages of our country and distributed in the townships and rural areas. In this way the real people, who need to be “educated” regarding “our leaders”, will start to understand what’s really going on in our country and not be swayed by the popular sentiment/drivel dished out at the party conferences and media events. Then we will see the real backlash from the public at large, the voter base of the ruling party.
The concern is that it is now in the interests of the ANC to keep education standards low so that future generations of black South Africans will buy these tactics like Siphiwo has. He is clearly a product of bantu education.
In my opinion, that is why we have Comrade Blade and the useless Angie Motshekga in the education ministry. They will ensure that poor education for blacks will not improve and future generations will blindly follow the ANC.
Thank goodness my parents sent me to a previously white school. Mind you, I see that the senior ANC members also send their kids to previously white schools.
Obzino Latino: There’s anything good to say about Malema?
Do you think the poor have yet realised how effectivelt dismissed they have been?
Julius Malema is very – VERY – attuned to the thinking of the majority of our voters. And in a democracy that is ALL you need to be. You do not have to be clever; You do not have to be kind; You do not have to be sympathetic or empathetic; You do not have to deliver; You do not have to tell the truth; You do not have to be liked by people who won’t vote for you; You do not have to be poor; You ONLY have to get the votes. That is all. And Julius knows it. Call him Julius Dubya Malema after another politician who just got the job done. And weep.
Spot on Prof. You’ve looked at the ‘sin’ and not only the ‘sinner’. It is the source, and not symptoms of the challenges in our politics, that we need to focus on.
@siphiwo and obzino, what is wrong with you guys?Siphiwo,The article does not jibe with your views and the knee-jerk reaction delivers “lack of research” without any examples of what you mean. your lack of research or laxity?
Onzino, the article title was Malemaism. Why did you expect to find stuff on the poor millions? If you want to read about that part of the economy find titles that say so.
But you both missed the point, while Mr Zuma is defending Malema he is not talking about the options for the poor. In fact he seldom does. Malema is providing the diversions. He is the games organiser while Rome burns and the barbarians are at the gate.
The BBC news yesterday mentioned both the President and Malema. The former becasue he will not tackle the difficult issues like corruption, and the latter because he is a malformed celebrity – who, wisely, refused to be interviewed by the BBC. But, hey, thats OK, because at least they did not have to mention the poor.
@Maluleke, this was a very beautiful article and I have been wondering why the black learned people of SA have been so quite about Malema. Siphiwo, please take your head out of the sand with your off the wall statements. X Cepting, the AK 47 is no good if you don’t have air power to protect yourself from above. This should be pointed out to J. Zuma that air power is the dominated force in warfare today and not the machine gun.
All the people need to read about is the truth,and this time around prof,you have broken ranks with song praisers.Let the truth be told about the laughing stock and banana republic the country is fast becoming.Please ANC people do something,save the movement,save the country,save the people before this gets out of hand
John,
I don’t think they actually read the article. That would have meant that they would have had to be objective about the written (well typed) word, rather than come out with some invective rhetoric. Party lackeys, my friend!
@Alan,I witnessed the same behavior by the poor in Haiti toward Baby Doc. The poor thought nothing of Baby Doc and his wife riding around in Haiti in a mink coat in ninety degree weather and most of them were hungry. I would like to tell the professor to keep up the good work and don’t be afraid to speak out on this illness that has swept SA. J. Zuma is doing the same thing that Baby Doc did, giving big parties and inviting the poor like he cares so much about them.
very well said Tinyiko, Spot on, and a very impressive manner of articulating issues, FRANK, WITHOUT FEAR! Wish this could reach a wider audience to help rid the Political moral decay of our soon to be Banana Republic.
Mike Ngomezulu on March 16th, 2010 at 11:31 am
People support the ANC because that is the organization that brought them freedom…this crap you say about education is just crap really! What you implying is that all those who went to white’s schools dont support ANC? Or you think of yourself as a special kind?
And wena-ke with your white’s school education who do you support?
@fergie – Fank you, sorry, just a moment, my tongue was in the way. You mean practicing that song was all for nothing? Seriously though, I always thought that intelligence and a strategically gifted leader was what gave a country its defensive edge and that air, water and ground forces were each appropriate in its own area of expertise? None of it really matters when intelligence serves the politburo, the defense force is on strike and the judiciary is being kept on a short lease by the executive…
Well written article,
Until the 702, M&G and that tabloid sunday paper called Sunday X start covering real news that bring hope and meaning to the people, Malemaism will be. While there are many that started off by sweeping floors and are now CEO’s of profit making organisations, we the public are bombared with incompetent bunch every Friday and Sunday ohh and every morning.
I dare some editors to take a stance of promoting our nation and its beauty, I’m not saying that we must hide the ills and rotten, but we must be aware that we become what we contantly consume…ask my fat cousin who ate those Mac-something every single day.