Extravagant Lifestyle

Malema is known for strutting around town with expensive watches and shoes. Often his critics will use his lavish lifestyle as evidence that he is not committed to the people. Malema fires back by saying you cannot inspire people by living just like them. He is showing black people there is a better life by displaying it first hand. People that live in a shack do not want leaders to join them in the shack. Malema gives his people aspirational hope. Also, Malema contends commitment is in the heart not in the clothes.

In spite of the lavish lifestyle, he is still a Marxist. He considers himself a man of the Proletariat because he does not own the means of production. Capitalist own the means of production which facilitates the accumulation of wealth far beyond anything he can ever afford. He is also the son of a single mother that worked as a maid. His heart and mind will always be with the poor no matter what car he drives.

Malema contends his critics hate “to see a black diamond shine.” Many white people grew up poor and have more money than him. However, people don’t investigate whites for fraud and corruption. If a black man has anything, whites want to take it away from him. Whites and blacks need to applaud his success and allow him to live his life.

Relationship between white and black South Africans

South Africa has an extreme income disparity due to colonialism. Europeans came into South Africa, stole the land and killed people. Once the land was taken, whites cultivated the land with black labor that was free or underpaid. The wealth of white South Africans is ill-gotten gains. Because the land was taken by force and without consent, black people are justified in reclaiming the land without compensation.

Capitalism as it currently stands does not help black Africans. An example would be Lonmin which owns the Marikana mine. Malema accused the company of profit shifting (tax evasion) 1.5 billion dollars. The company could have built 5,500 homes to house workers with the money from profit shifting and still make a profit. Currently, there is a shanty town outside the mine and the children of the town forage for food in the local garbage dump.

Once blacks reclaim the land, South Africans of all races can live side by side. Malema does not want to run the whites out of South Africa. He recognizes that many white people have done extraordinary things to fight apartheid and improve the lives of blacks. However, black people cannot operate on a world stage without owning land. Land ownership will give South Africans leverage in negotiations with world powers.

Nationalization is a bold move toward Socialism. Capitalism has cause income inequality, high unemployment, and protesters to be attacked. It is entirely logical to begin to transition from a failed system. It is a myth that if someone can make the rich richer, the rich will make them rich. If this was possible, South Africa would have a higher standard of living.

Black people becoming economically independent will aid in racial reconciliation. White people will no longer have to erect massive security walls in fear that someone will steal their belongings. Blacks will cease to resent whites and blame them for societal ills. Both races can live in harmony.

African dictators

African reserve banks are in France or another Western European power not in the African country. Also, many African countries still pay colonial taxes. If these banks were to leave the Western powers would fall.

Malema recognizes how important strong leadership is for Africa. Many African leaders use the reserve bank as a personal slush fund. They are not accountable to the people and control them with draconian laws and intimidation.

DeBeers diamonds promised Botswana government 51%. But the DeBeers company does not declare all the diamonds and cheats the Botswana government. Also, DeBeers will not give South Africa the same deal as Botswana. Botswana needs to be inside the company monitoring the accounting practices. Owning shares in a company is not enough.

Robert Mugabe is not a dictator in the eyes of Malema. Mugabe took control of his land and expelled the white people. Mugabe then won numerous fair elections afterward. The issues Zimbabwe currently face is the result of international sanctions that are punishing the sovereignty of the people of Zimbabwe. Malema realizes that South Africa will be given the same treatment if blacks take back the land. He sees the onslaught of sanctions a necessary pain to create an independent black nation. As a mother suffers to bring forth life, South Africa and Zimbabwe will suffer to realize their dream.

Nationalization

As stated earlier, Malema is a Marxist. He supports nationalization of certain key sectors of the economy. He does not want to nationalize every industry. Also, the nationalized industry will operate through one state-owned company that will compete with private companies. Malema is not in favor of communism and his plan is not communistic.

To nationalize, black South Africans will have to take land from white people without compensation. Once the government nationalized the mines, the profit can be used to build a social safety net. If a foreign company wants to use the land, the government can lease the company the land.

Nationalization is constitutional under certain circumstances. If it is not, the government can change the constitution. The nationalization will be done through legislation, not force. Laws will be gradually implemented to take back the land in stages. Reclaiming land solidifies South Africa’s sovereignty. It will ensure the Western powers do not use RSA as a colony.

Nationalization is not a radical idea. After World War II Britain took over strategic sectors of the government. Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and America used nationalization to grow various industries. South Africa fought an international war against Apartheid. Nationalization is a valid strategy to build an RSA economy that works for all South Africans.

An example of a successful nationalized industry is the US military. Most of America’s scientific innovations were researched by the military. The military produced everything from GPS to Tang. These innovations have benefited the world and proven state-run organizations work.

Malema also wants to keep second-class goods out of RSA. Second-class goods undermine local industry. Cheap chicken destroys RSA chicken industry even if RSA chicken is a higher quality. Many South African economist claim that producing goods in South Africa could offend international investors and reduce foreign direct investment. High tariffs will even the playing-field for South African industry.

Malema expects an international backlash if he implements the nationalization plan. Malema feels that RSA can weather the backlash and the international community will have to work with him to get rare minerals. For example, 80% of the world’s platinum comes from RSA or Zimbabwe. The other 20% is scattered all over the world. If Zimbabwe and RSA are sanctioned, the world would be starved for platinum. Also, there is substantial demand from other emerging markets that will not be turned off by confiscating the land from whites.

Instead of Black Economic Empowerment which gives a few blacks considerable wealth to protect the company, give worker profit-sharing programs. If the workers share in profits, they would be less likely to strike. Keeping employees happy will also increase production. The reason employee morale is low is because workers do not have stable lives. The average South African worker is taking care of seven people. Workers having more money will dissolve many social ills. Also, a new market will be created in RSA. Workers will also protect the company politically.

African National Congress ANC

The ANC’s original purpose was to take the land back. The founders were rebelling against the colonizers as independent tribes before the ANC. The ANC unified the tribes to fight the colonizers. Malema views the ANC as a failing liberation movement now because members were distracted by obtaining political office. It is not able to adjust to the new times. He is grateful to have left. He feels the EFF can move RSA forward.

The ANC is arrogant and feels that black South Africans owe them a vote. Zuma said he thinks of the ANC first and RSA second. The people of RSA made the democracy. In 1994 the ANC had 500,000 members but got 5,000,000 votes. The people created the ANC, not the other way around. Nothing is bigger than RSA.

Nelson Mandela was too old to fight for the ANC once he left prison. He did not fight for blacks owning the production means. Mandela’s resistance was also hampered by him becoming too friendly with white capitalist. After he had split from Winnie Mandela, he stayed with rich white people connected to the Oppenheimers. Malema looks at the EFF as the continuation of the 1955 freedom charter.

Part of the problem with the ANC is they did not have a clear goal on how the government should be run after they took power. They idolized the wealth and extravagance of the white apartheid elite. Once they took power, they mimicked this extravagance. Many of the followers went along with it because they wanted to see rich black people. Rich black people gave the masses confidence. Personal wealth building does not translate into community stability.

Cyril Ramaphosa is an example of how the ANC lost its way. Ramaphosa has a long history of leadership in the ANC and now sells his influence to companies. He promises the mining company Lonmin favorable treatment by the government at the expense of the workers. Ramaphosa advocate for heightened government security from his position on Lonmin’s board. South African security killed 34 strikers, most of which were shot in the back. Malema says the ANC and Lonmin have blood on their hands. The strikers were running away from the police when they were shot. Malema accuses ANC and Lonmin of the premeditated massacre of the strikers. Malema cites evidence from the commission report on the incident. The police shot first, and strikers put their hands in the air to show they did not have a weapon. The company should meet the striker’s demand of R 12,500 ($960) per month.

Mbeki presented one of the greatest threats to the Constitution of South Africa. He wanted to run for a third term while the ANC had a two-thirds majority in parliament. If Zuma had not taken control, Mbeki could have made himself president indefinitely, at least this was Malema’s fear.

The ANC has proven themselves inept at actual governance. They did not have the strength to keep fighting capitalism. It is the youth’s job to pick up where they left off. It is wrong to say the ANC sold out. Malema views the ANC as an organization that served its purpose.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)

As stated earlier the chief principle of the EFF is to take land and resources away from private companies and build state owned companies that use the profit for the welfare of the country. The state-owned companies would compete with private companies in a free market. Malema believes the state-owned company would outperform the competitors and eventually acquire a large share of the market.

An example that Malema often gives in speeches is the implementation of a nationalized bank. Malema wants to create one bank with interests rates set by the government. The national bank will act as a floor for savings return and a ceiling for loan rates. The private banks that are competing will have to match the state bank or go under. At the sametime the quality of the state bank will need to be the same as the private banks. Both entities will keep each other in check. Again. Malema is not a communist and this plan is not communistic.

The EFF is also protectionist, which means that believe RSA companies should be given preference over foreign companies. The EFF wants to require that hospitals, schools, and prisons buy 50% of their food from small-scale RSA farms. Once these farms are stable the government can implement programs that will help them scale up. In addition to having RSA farms subsidies, high tariffs and quality restrictions will be put on imported food.

The EFF wants to reduce corruption and increase employment through the abolition of the tenders ( government contract) system. The allocation of Tenders is currently rife with corruption and many government officals have been caught taking kickbacks and influencing the award of tender. By building state industry that can construct and maintain buildings the government will no longer need to find contractors. Not only will corruption go down employment will go up because contracts often go to companies outside RSA that hire foreign workers. Often the highly-skilled and technical positions go to the foreign workers reducing RSA’s ability to build a professional class.

Income inequality will be addressed by minimum wages and earnings caps. Instead of making a minimum wage for all industries like the USA, the EFF will make minimum wages specific to each industry. There will also be a wage cap for all high level professionals. They will not be able to make more than a certain ratio of the lowest paid worker.

When the RSA’s builds its industry and begins to amount a surplus, the money should be invested in Africa before any other countries. During the years of the Apartheid struggle various countries in Southern Africa aided RSA and many RSA citizens helped them. The building of this alliance should continue. Africa must move as a unit.

In the same vein of unity with Southern Africa, effort should be made to allow immigrants from other African countries pass easily into and out of South Africa. The borders of Southern African countries were drawn arbitrarily by colonizers. The EFF sees the citizens of Southern Africa as brothers.

Sources
Playlist in YouTube under SD Julius Malema

  1. “Malema defends lavish lifestyle” http://www.news24.com
  2. ”Julius Malema and his lavish lifestyle” www.http://guardianlv.com
  3. ”Debora Patta and Julius Malema unplugged” video Youtube
  4. 3rd Degree Debora Patta vs Julius Malema Part 3of3 video YouTube
  5. Malema tells SRC to avoid ‘lavish lifestyle’ while in office https://mg.co.za/
  6. Julius Malema: Ready to remove Zuma government by force – Talk to Al Jazeera by J. Hull YouTube video
  7. Julius Malema Full Address & Q&A Oxford Union
  8. Julius Malema in Tottenham pt 1 – 4 YouTube
  9. Julius Malema on the Marikana Massacre YouTube
  10. Julius Malema speaks about the #MarikanaReport YouTube
  11. Julius Malema Blames Zuma and His Son For Xenophobic attacks
  12. Malema party to confront Zuma over home improvements at South Africa’s parliament opening http://en.rfi.fr/africa
  13. http://www.effonline.org
  14. Julius Malema live on #FreshBreakfast with DJ Fresh YouTube
  15. JULIUS MALEMA UNCENSORED ON TOUCH HD FULL INTERVIEW YouTube
  16. FULL INTERVIEW: Inside the mind of Julius Malema YouTube