From firebrand youth leader to savvy kingmaker, the leader of the EFF has come a long way. We take a look at his unstoppable rise.
LOVE him or hate him, there’s no ignoring Julius Malema. He has the stick ability of Velcro, the thick skin of a rhino, the bounce back of a beach ball and the uncanny ability to become a thorn in many a side.
He’s been called a rabblerouser, an up start, an opportunist – you name it. But just look at him now. Who’d have thought the man expelled from the ANC, in trouble with the taxman and a laughing stock for his school woodwork results could pull off one of the most impressive reinventions in South African politics.
As leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) he carries a fair amount of sway in the corridors of power. After the recent municipal election he found himself being courted by both the ANC and the DA when it came to forming coalitions – and the ruling party, that “devil” as he describes it, was the loser.
Then there’s his recent weight loss. That tubby tummy, those jowls and that double chin are practically things of the past – no more Malema (35) on the fat cat wagon.
Here’s more about him.
The Politician
He was just nine years old when he joined the ANC in his home township of Seshego, Limpopo. His main task was to remove National Party posters from public places and as he grew, so did his love for the ANC.
But his devotion to the party crumbled when, after being voted president of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Man gaung in 2008, he was kicked out of the party for disciplinary reasons in 2012.
Along the way Malema has said many things he’s often been moved to apologise for – such as labelling Nelson Man dela a “sellout” during his negotiations for a democratic South Africa.
Esta historia es de la edición September 01, 2016 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 01, 2016 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!
THE eyes HAVE IT
They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life