The Maturing of Julius Malema

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.

- Mabale Moloi

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.