End of road for Julius?

CEDRIC MBOYISA

JOHANNESBURG - Embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema faces expulsion from the ruling party for his defiance of and verbal onslaught on President Jacob Zuma.
This is according to University of Johannesburg’s Centre for the Study of Democracy director, political analyst Steven Friedman.
“If you continuously defy your leader, the obvious sanction is expulsion,” Friedman told The Citizen yesterday.
Malema, he pointed out, was banking on senior ANC leaders who were “using” him to come to his aid during disciplinary proceedings against him.
“It’s not about Malema. “What you see here is a bit of a smokescreen. He is more being used,” said Friedman.
He added that individuals such as former ANCYL leader Fikile Mbalula and ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa had leadership ambitions for 2012, when the party holds its elective conference.
Speaking in the Northern Cape at the weekend, Malema, in a veiled attack on Zuma, charged that once in power, people changed and forgot those who had made sacrifices for them to be there.
Malema is credited with playing a critical role in ensuring that Zuma, who was facing corruption charges, ascended to the presidency.
Before the general elections last year, Malema caused an outcry when he declared that he was prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma.
Zuma recently spoke out against Malema, who is apparently set to face disciplinary charges for bringing the ruling party into disrepute.
Friedman said that if expelled, Malema would be ruined politically, and he “would get thrashed” if he headed a challenge against Zuma’s presidency in 2012.
Although “he did it too late”, Zuma was right in rebuking Malema in public, he said. “It got to the stage where he had to.”
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe would not comment on the Malema matter. “I don’t talk to newspapers about such things,” he told The Citizen.
According to reports, Malema is facing at least four charges of bringing the ANC into disrepute over:
His remarks about Zimbabwe.
His remarks on the death of AWB leader Eugene Terre’Blanche after the ANC had told its structures not to comment on the matter.
Defying Zuma and comparing him to former President Thabo Mbeki.
His verbal assault on BBC journalist Jonah Fisher.
cedricm@citizen.co.za

Citizen

Comments by Sonny

It's either Julius Malema or Jacob Zuma!!