The Youth Day Speech by the enthusiastic and uncompromising President of
the ANC Youth League, Julius Malema was very moving, energetic and
breathtaking without shying away to the pertinent issues that faces
young people in South Africa. But the part where he lambasted those who
opened the debate about President Zuma serving two terms was rather
unfortunate.
The comments that he made needs careful digestion
and management as they may cause further divisions within the movement
and may hamper the now celebrated unity within the alliance. It becomes
clear that the comments were levelled against COSATU, especially its
Secretary General comrade Zwelinzima Vavi.
Firstly Julius
should have never responded in such a manner, mainly because he knows
that it was not COSATU’s intention to raise the matter, but it was
asked by a journalist. The question of whether President Zuma should
serve two terms or not was not in the media statement that was read by
Vavi but was asked by a journalist who thought that COSATU’s recent
conflict with government over the OSD saga meant they did not support
the Zuma administration.
By responding to the question comrade
Vavi was playing in the hands of the media and by responding publicly
to what Vavi said, Julius was even giving victory to the reactionary
media. Even the YCL’s public support of what COSATU said must be
interpreted as accepting defeat by the media. Let’s all admit the media
won this round. Surely the journalist who asked the question is
laughing all the way to the bank, because he or she has received a
‘performance’ bonus from her racist newsroom masters.
Comrade
Julius could have understood the agenda of the Journalist here very
clearly even after he first read the story. This is not to say that
Comrade Vavi was justified in responding to that particular question,
but he deserves no attack mainly because he, together with Sdumo
Dlamini have apologised ( something that is rare of Vavi).
Using
a media language referring to those that supported President Zuma,
Julius went further to state that the people who are saying that have
no issues to discuss beyond Zuma. That’s very unfortunate. This has
been the belief of the media when it comes to alliance partners,
including the ANC Youth League, especially him as an individual, but
now comrade Julius uses this media smear to attack another alliance
partner, how unfortunate is that?
Moreover, COSATU including
the YCL for that matter, are currently involved in many campaigns aimed
at restoring order and uplifting the plight of the poor in this country
and these range from the SABC, UNISA, OSD, BRT, Telkom, Eskom, John
Hlophe and many others. So the statement was rather baseless.
On
the whole my view is that after hearing the COSATU statement the ANC,
ANC Youth League, YCL should have immediately contacted COSATU
organising a meeting between all of them and then issuing a joint press
statement on the matter. That is Working Together We Can Do More to
defeat the liberal onslaught of the media.
Luzuko Buku
Rhodes YCL Chair
0786172286
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You are subscribed. This footer can help you.
Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this
message.
You can visit the group WEB SITE at
http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options,
pages, files and membership.
To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You
don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put
anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this
address (repeat): [email protected] .
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
