SOUTH AFRICA/FILE: Ruling African National Congress (ANC) charges its controversial youth leader, Julius Malema, with 'sowing divisions'

Record ID: 452973

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA/FILE: Ruling African National Congress (ANC) charges its controversial youth leader, Julius Malema, with 'sowing divisions'
  • Date: 20th August 2011
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (FILE - 21 APRIL, 2011) (REUTERS) ANC YOUTH LEAGUE PRESIDENT JULIUS MALEMA LEAVING COURT WITH WINNIE MANDELA AFTER HATE SPEECH HEARING CROWDS CHANTING IN SUPPORT OF MALEMA MALEMA DANCING AND SINGING OUTSIDE SUPREME COURT PEOPLE CHANTING AND SINGING IN SUPPORT OF MALEMA MALEMA ADDRESSING CROWD CROWD CHANTING AND SINGING IN SUPPORT OF MALEMA JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 19, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALFRED MAFULEKA, JOHANNESBURG RESIDENT, SAYING: "Do you charge Malema in person or do you charge the Youth League? I think the ANC mother body needs to decide which one. Is Malema responsible or the Youth League as a whole responsible and who is to pick out there?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAM APATA, JOHANNESBURG RESIDENT, SAYING: "Well, my opinion is that Julius Malema is speaking from his experience and what he understands as a president (of the Youth League) and he is representing the ANC Youth League opinion so I don't think he has brought the ANC into any disrepute." (SOUNDBITE) (Zulu/English) THEMBISA TOWNSHIP YOUTH, KENNETH, SAYING: "I think they don't have the right to charge him, he is all right this man (Malema). For example they, the ANC government, is borrowing other countries' money, while here people don't work. That's what they worry about. This man is all right, according to me, they should not charge him." (SOUNDBITE) (Venda) STUDENT, GIVEN MADALA, SAYING: "Malema has no problem. The problem is them, the people like Zuma, because after we voted for them, they forgot us and now we have no jobs." JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 19, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WRITTEN STATEMENT BY AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC), READING: "Comrade Julius Malema has been charged with various violations of the ANC Constitution, including bringing the ANC into disrepute through his utterances and statements on Botswana and sowing divisions in the ranks of the African National Congress."
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADDF6QV32FE211NF8ESZRBBM04
  • Story Text: South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Friday (August 19) charged controversial youth leader Julius Malema with "sowing divisions" in its ranks and bringing the party into disrepute.
    Malema, president of the ANC Youth League, has been under fire over the youth wing's calls for the overthrow of the democratically elected government of neighbouring Botswana.
    Malema's repeated calls to nationalise mines and seize white-owned land has unnerved investors, but he has become a hero among poor blacks who make up the majority of the country and envision him as a future leader of Africa's most powerful economy.
    The Youth League has apologised to the ANC over the Botswana comments but the ANC's disciplinary committee said Malema had been charged with violating the principles of the party.
    In Johannesburg, many sided with Malema, saying he had done nothing wrong.
    "Do you charge Malema in person or do you charge the Youth League? I think the ANC mother body needs to decide which one. Is Malema responsible or the Youth League as a whole responsible and who is to pick out there?" asked Johannesburg resident, Alfred Mafuleka.
    "Well, my opinion is that Julius Malema is speaking from his experience and what he understands as a president (of the Youth League) and he is representing the ANC Youth League opinion so I don't think he has brought the ANC into any disrepute," added another resident, Sam Apata.
    In the township of Thembisa, near Johannesburg's Kempton Park, residents agreed.
    "I think they don't have the right to charge him, he is all right this man (Malema). For example they, the ANC government, is borrowing other countries' money, while here people don't work. That's what they worry about. This man is all right, according to me, they should not charge him," said Kenneth, who declined to give his last name.
    "Malema has no problem. The problem is them, the people like Zuma, because after we voted for them, they forgot us and now we have no jobs," added student Given Madala.
    Thirty-year-old Malema has no direct policy making power in the ANC but his ability to influence millions of poor people puts him in an influential position, with senior leaders including President Jacob Zuma seeking his support ahead of an ANC meeting next year when the party elects its leaders.
    Local media also reported on Friday that a top corruption investigator planned a probe into the possible illegal awarding of government contracts to a firm linked to Malema.
    The ANC Youth League was not immediately available for comment.
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