Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Malema Vows to Lead ANC One Day

Malema vows to lead ANC one day

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 00:00

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s renegade youth leader Julius Malema vowed yesterday that he would one day lead the African National Congress, despite his expulsion from the ruling party for indiscipline.

“I’m going to lead the ANC. I will lead this ANC. It doesn’t matter what time it takes,” Malema told journalists in his first remarks since his expulsion last month. “We are not submitting. We’re going to fight this political battle,” he said.

Despite his expulsion, the ANC Youth League insists that he remains their leader, creating a new political headache for the party of Nelson Mandela, which has ruled since the end of the white-minority government.

The party’s internal battles with Malema are the most visible face of the ANC’s leadership contest, leading up to its elective conference in December when President Jacob Zuma will seek another term as chief.

Given the ANC’s huge support among voters, the ANC chief is almost guaranteed of winning South Africa’s presidency.

Malema was once a vocal campaigner for Zuma, at one point vowing to “kill” for him.

But his fiery rhetoric eventually became too much, as Malema advocated seizing mines and farms and called for “regime change” in democratic Botswana.

But Malema said he would not start his own political party.

“I will die in the ANC.

“This is my home and nobody is going to chase me away from my home,” he said. — AFP

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