Expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema (SABC)
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Political analyst, Somadoda Fikeni, says that expelled ANCYL president Julius Malema’s recent attacks on president Jacob Zuma is a plan to weaken his character ahead of the party’s elective conference in Mangaung, Free State, in December.
Ever since his expulsion, Malema has been criticizing Zuma’s presidency and has called for a leadership change in the ANC ahead of Mangaung. He wants Zuma to be replaced by Kgalema Motlanthe and Gwede Mantashe with Fikile Mbalula.
Fikeni however says he does not believe that Malema is trying to resurrect his political career by criticizing Zuma. "I think it’s a long determined objective to launch an attack with the hope that it will progressively assist those who may challenge the president in Mangaung conference by exposing what he believes are his weakness and by also mobilizing in a parallel structure to the ANC where the ANC is having difficulty to discipline him."
Winnie has always supported Malema and she has always been an outsider. Winnie has always been consistent in supporting Malema in saying he had ought o have received a lesser sentence."
On whether, the fact that Malema was recently seen next to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela at Mandela’s birthday celebration in Qunu recently will help Malema’s political career, Fikeni says: "Winnie has always supported Malema and she has always been an outsider. Winnie has always been consistent in supporting Malema in saying he had ought to have received a lesser sentence."
He adds: "I think it does give credibility to him to have a senior like Winnie next to him but at the same time I don’t think it will do much to reverse his ordeal because Winnie does not sway a lot of influence in the ANC at the moment."
