Malema doesn’t know his ANC history, claim UDF member and Max du Preez

After EFF leader Julius Malema took a swipe at some ANC leaders for allegedly having sold out struggle icon and stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela some have questioned the historical basis of his anger.

Addressing funeral attendees at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Malema told ANC leaders it was funny that ANC and UDF “sellouts” were unashamedly attending the funeral and crying the loudest for her now that she was dead.

According to Malema, in the 1980s the United Democratic Front (UDF), the banned ANC’s front organisation, called a press conference to distance itself from Madikizela-Mandela.

“Mama, the UDF cabal that rejected you is here, they called a press conference to dissociate themselves from you. But you were never a member of the UDF, you were the only one who pronounced as the ANC,” Malema said.

The ANC Women’s League also did not escape Malema’s sharp tongue. He said some in the league refused to be led by Madikizela-Mandela and rejected her because they regarded her as a “criminal”.

Similarly, the ANC also prevented the struggle stalwart from speaking at the funeral of late former ANC Youth League president and party NEC member Peter Mokaba, although she was the president of the ANCWL and the league was on the funeral programme that day.

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He said the EFF would wait for a signal from Madikizela-Mandela to tell them what they should do about those who had rejected and sold her out.

He alluded to the fact that their mother was ill-treated by the apartheid authorities and that her children suffered under the same system.

“The EFF leadership is here because they proudly associate with you,” Malema said.

READ MORE: Winnie’s daughter, Zenani, does not mince words as she calls out hypocrites

However, some on Twitter questioned whether Malema had his facts right.

Former UDF member Madeleine Fullard said it was wrong of Malema not to mention that it was the ANC leader himself at the time, Oliver Tambo, who was the face of an ANC national executive decision to distance themselves from Winnie Mandela’s Mandela United Football Club and have it disbanded.

So Julius threatens the 'UDF cabal' for their actions around the Mandela United Football Club back in 1989 but doesn't mention this was the ANC NEC position including OR Tambo.

— Madeleine Fullard (@mfullard2) April 14, 2018

Fullard became a student activist in the 1980s for the UDF and a few years ago led a team of investigators looking for the bodies of missing apartheid activists who were murdered by the regime.

Columnist Max du Preez said Malema’s alleged ignorance could not be excused even if he was only eight years old in 1989.

“He should get his facts correct before he speaks.”

His excuse can't be that he was only 8 years old then. As leader of a national political party he should get his facts correct before he speaks. OR Tambo himself ordered the MUFC to be disbanded https://t.co/s7oWy6j4SD

— Max du Preez (@MaxduPreez) April 14, 2018

Nevertheless, many comments to Fullard said that she was misinterpreting what the EFF leader had said, while others maintained that the UDF had made its own decisions.

You referred to it as a threat? Yini kanti? Oginni?Which is it?

— You were a genius Sis-RIP (@TASankara) April 14, 2018

Threats???????where? Paragraph?

— Oscar Moloto (@MolotoOsc) April 14, 2018

They disassociated themselves from her and her 'actions'… It was the UDF at that press conference.

Read more

ANC Women’s League is back and has ‘learnt from mistakes’

— Vus’umuzi Nhlapo (@izimu) April 14, 2018

Listening its a skill.

— Gaopalelwe (@gaomotlhabane) April 14, 2018

Did he make another speech because in the one I watched there was no threat.

— Nodibhoza Son of Bhojwana (@mshengulala) April 14, 2018

Others told Fullard they suspected she was part of “Stratcom”.

https://twitter.com/kulanicool/status/985157825574981637

Take a look at the full speech for yourself below:

Others were somewhat more impressed with Malema.

Say what you want about the content of his political thought but @Julius_S_Malema is an extraordinary political orator and strategist.

And he is but 37. Underestimate him at your peril. #WinnieMandelaFuneral

— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) April 14, 2018

The Commander in Chief @Julius_S_Malema paid a worthy revolutionary tribute to Mama Winnie Nomzamo Madikizela-Mandela. pic.twitter.com/RcGDj2hDyS

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) April 14, 2018

https://twitter.com/MashishiMaditsi/status/985096480045355008

https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/985111405912305665