Moloko Moloto
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has blasted “opportunists” who, unlike former ANC president Oliver Tambo, would not give up power easily.
Without mentioning names during the OR Tambo memorial lecture at the University of Limpopo in Turfloop outside Polokwane last night, Malema praised Tambo for gracefully handing over control of the ANC to his successor, Nelson Mandela.
ANC president Jacob Zuma has refused to publicly say he would run for a second term when the party holds its elective conference in Mangaung next year.
Zuma told The Star two years ago that he personally wanted a single term, but it was up to the ANC to decide.
Malema said that despite Tambo’s popularity at the time, he still gave up power.
Tambo led the ANC in exile for more than 30 years and stepped aside from the party presidency in 1991 in favour of Mandela.
“Today, opportunists, even when they know they are challenged, even when they know themselves that the only thing they know is their names, they will always want one, two, three from the ANC,” said Malema.
He continued to champion his campaign for the nationalisation of the mines.
Malema said that as far as he knew, the ANC had taken a decision to find the best way to nationalise the mines.
“The nationalisation debate is concluded. Now we are looking at the best model,” said Malema.
Meanwhile, Zuma said on Monday that nationalisation was not ANC policy.
Malema tacitly questioned why the ANC Youth League’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive committee was not facing action for openly stating that it wanted Zuma to remain the ANC leader after the ANC had spoken against any premature succession debate.
“We will disband you, irrespective of who you are supporting,” said Malema, who has disbanded the KZN youth league provincial executive committee. There is no republic of KwaZulu-Natal. When political thugs go around undermining internal processes of the ANC, and because they are from KwaZulu-Natal, they are untouchable,” Malema said.
Malema and Zuma don’t see eye to eye, and the league president is facing disciplinary action, a move widely viewed as part of the succession battle raging in the ruling party.
Malema said that as long as the league’s national leadership had not been expelled, it remained in charge of the league.
Some members of the league have indicated they would prefer ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to succeed Zuma next year.