Malema and ANCYL are behaving like a street mob
It is perfectly clear, from his actions and the actions of those in the ANC Youth League, that Julius Malema has something to hide; and in a bid to keep the truth from emerging both their responses are becoming less and less like those of democrats and more and more like those of a street mob.
When the story broke some weeks ago - that Malema had a vested interest in several companies to have benefited from state contracts - that allegation was met with denial and vitriol. When it emerged later still, that those companies were not tax compliant, that fact was met with the suggestion of subterfuge and plotting; now, as the pressure on Malema continues to mount, it has emerged that the Youth League has resorted to out-and-out bullying.
Following Malema and the Youth League's behaviour on this matter is like tracking the attitude of a gangster. If at first denial does not work, then suggest conspiracy; if conspiracy doesn't work then get your allies to turn to those more malicious mechanisms available.
It is reported today that ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu has released to the media a four page document, which appears like an intelligence report, on the one of several journalists responsible for reporting on the Youth League President's financial interests (see City Press report). The claims in the document are described as defamatory and its circulation as "an attempt to intimidate the relevant newspaper. Elsewhere it is reported that a member of the Limpopo government and technical manager responsible for quality control on tenders undertaken by the provincial government, which included those awarded to Malema's companies, has been fired. She had asked questions about the quality of the work undertaken by those companies and raised queries about additional cash that was demanded. She has reportedly received death threats.
While the first bit of bullying can be directly attributed to the ANCYL, the second cannot. But if it is true that the woman in question has been threatened and, indeed, fired, for asking questions about Malema's company, it would be logical to assume those threats came from people aligned to Malema in Limpopo, a province he wields huge influence in.
President Jacob Zuma has recently defended Malema as a leader. This is as much an indictment of Zuma as it is of the ANC's much vaunted "depth of leadership". But Malema's blatant shortfalls aside, there is much to worry about between the lines - most particularly, the way in which his resistance to oversight and accountability exponentially moves towards political thuggery and away from the truth and transparency. South Africa and our youth are poorer for it.
The DA will pursue this matter in the Limpopo legislature, where we will submit questions about the circumstances surrounding Helga Kruger's dismissal. We will also ask the Minister of State Security whether anyone under his watch has or does supply information to the Youth League about private citizens and if he will investigate the allegation that the document circulated appears much "like an intelligence report".
Statement issued by Khume Ramulifho, MPL, Democratic Alliance national youth spokesperson, March 14 2010
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