Malema thrives on hypocrisy, populism and demagogy

There are some people who falsely think that my analysis on Julius Malema and the EFF is ultra-critical and antagonistic.

For the record, I don’t possess any antagonistic attitude towards the EFF and its leader, Malema. I’m the only analyst who wrote about Juju’s greatness and oratorical skills.

Malema’s only powerful weakness is his lack of intellectual calculus. He is not capable of calculating the future implications of his political actions and decisions. His political thinking is largely dominated by a mixture of populism, demagogy and hypocrisy.

He prefers to partake in activities that create media publicity for his own benefit. Strategic long-term thinking is not part of Malema’s modus operandi. He places a higher premium on short-term gains and quick-fix solutions.

Two months ago Juju went to Nkandla to hand over a new house to a poor family which stays next to president Jacob Zuma’s homestead. When he arrived there, Juju was pelted with stones and bottles by supporters of the ANC in Nkandla.

As anticipated, the media reported massively on that story. What motivated Malema to build a house for someone who stays next to Zuma? Some people think Juju built that house out of his goodwill and generosity.

I don’t think his actions were motivated by any sense of goodwill or generosity.

Malema is excessively obsessed with Zuma’s political downfall. Juju and his loyalists blame Zuma for his eventual expulsion from the ANC. He also accuses Zuma of being the mastermind behind his personal and financial troubles. Malema chose to build that house in Nkandla in order to publicly embarrass Zuma.

Juju’s ulterior intention was to project Zuma as an uncaring, selfish and thoughtless president. Malema’s toxic obsession with Zuma’s downfall is extremely unhealthy.

When Juju was still president of the ANC Youth League, he never built any house for any poor family. He stays in Seshego where there are some residents who live in dilapidated houses.

Did he ever consider building decent houses for those families?

There are people who live in horrible conditions in shacks in Disteneneng next to Seshego.

Has Malema ever thought of helping those people to acquire houses? There is an age-old expression that says: Charity begins at home.

The supreme commander of the EFF, Julius Malema is an exceptionally gifted populist.

He likes sayings things that people want to hear. Juju is a kind of a populist who does not believe in empirical realism and pragmatism. His political strategies are based on wishful thinking and utopian idealism.

He prefers “frozen dogmatism” over scientific evidentiary. His call for nationalisation of the country’s mines is informed and fuelled by frozen dogmatism.

Frozen dogmatism is a belief that the changing times and circumstances do not have any impact on an idea. He believes that the Freedom Charter principles of 1955 must be implemented to address today’s problems. The socio-economic challenges of the 1950s are not similar to the current material conditions and circumstances.

Three weeks ago Malema launched the EFF’s election manifesto which was marked by radical promises. The EFF manifesto indicates that all working citizens would earn over R4 000 a month.

The manifesto also promises to expropriate all mines and banks and place them under state control. The EFF also reassured citizens that their (EFF) government will eliminate poverty and unemployment.

The EFF manifesto is unrealisable at best and impractical at worst. The EFF falsely assumes that nationalisation will solve all the socio-economic challenges in the country.

Nationalisation will paralyse the country’s mining, banking and manufacturing sectors.

The EFF does not possess any expertise and technical intelligence to manage mines and banks.

The EFF manifesto also pledges to root out corruption and tender fraud in government. Interestingly, Malema is currently facing criminal charges of corruption, fraud and money-laundering in court.

Juju is the last person who should speak about eradication of corruption in government. The EFF manifesto is nothing more than a wishful list of grocery items.

Elvis Masoga.

Political analyst.