Malema's poor response to questions about his business practices and financial disclosures

The exposure by the City Press of Julius Malema being involved in lobbying for particular business people to get tenders from the government is shocking. His defensive response, that it is none of our business, will not wash. He is the president of a powerful political organisation, a public figure and must accept that the public have the right to know. The Congress of the People applauds City Press and the courts for their bold action and decision in defending the public's right to know.

Malema must now do the right thing. He must disclose the sources of his funding. He must also accept that when people like himself, who so manifestly benefit from donations from the private sector, argue for nationalisation, it is little wonder that the public take what he says with more than a pinch of salt. It is clear that things are not what they seem, when it comes to policy debates in the ruling party.

This exposure has also brought the issue of party political funding, disclosures of interests by political leaders and the issue of corruption to the fore once again. The public must lobby for the right to know. This issue also highlights why the protection of information must be confined to as narrow a scope as is possible so that the powerful, the elite, the rich and those in strategic positions cannot use secrecy to cover up their dubious practices.

The Congress of the People will be discussing how to take this matter forward and ensure that there is accountability from all political leaders, whether elected to parliament or not.

Statement issued by COPE Head of Communications, Phillip Dexter, July 25 2011

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