ANDISIWE MAKINANA
Political Bureau
ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has issued a stern warning to “white monopoly capital”: there’s a “leaderless revolution” coming, and it’s stopping in Sandton before moving on to the Union Buildings.
In his closing remarks at the league’s national conference in Midrand, Malema told thousands of delegates that capitalists had a “rat mindset” for believing they would be insulated should there be an uprising by the poor in South Africa.
During the conference, Malema snubbed large mining companies which had bought guest packages for the league’s business networking lounge, making it clear he would not dine with the Oppenheimers or other mining bigwigs.
The Oppenheimers own 40 percent of De Beers, the world’s biggest diamond group.
Anglo American, which owns 45 percent of De Beers, was one of the companies that bought guest packages – advertised on the league’s website at R50 000 a person over four days.
The lounge sponsorship packages cost between R250 000 and R350 000.
An Anglo American executive signalled unhappiness at the lack of opportunity to interact with league leaders at the weekend.
The source, who didn’t want to be named, said Anglo had bought space hoping to discuss nationalisation with the ANCYL leaders.
“Your ability to have a conversation or lobby in this kind of environment is limited.”
On the occasions that Malema did visit the lounge, it had been in passing and he would be swarmed by his comrades while guests had been kept at arm’s length by security, said the source.
And in his closing remarks, Malema made no secret of his dislike of big business.
“We don’t get our mandate from the Oppenheimers, we get our mandate from our members.
“People think now you are going to sit with proper people as if your members are not proper people. You can have your dinner with them but your time will come when you have to account.”
Malema warned that a revolution would start in the poor Alexandra township, across the road from the upmarket Sandton in Joburg.
“Before we even reach the Union Buildings, we will start here, across the road in Sandton, and just open the fridge and get the cheese.
“They think when there’s an uprising, it will go to the Union Buildings. No, it will pass by here. On the way to (the) Union Buildings, we’ll first sort ourselves out here properly and then move to the sitting president… On our way back, we will pass by Sandton because our real enemy is white monopoly capital. They are the ones we are fighting against,” said Malema to roars of laughter from delegates and guests.
He said the nationalisation of the mines was now a resolution of the league’s congress.
It was not just a Malema policy, but the policy of more than 5 000 delegates from league branches across the country.
“We must carry that mandate without fear or favour. It is you, delegates of the ANCYL, who matter, not the media, not editors, not the so-called investors, people who come here with imperialist genda.”
Malema said the league would fight for control of the banks because without them nationalisation would fail. “If you don’t nationalise the financial sector, they will hold back resources.”
Turning to land, Malema warned of an unled revolution.
“Sitting here are members of the ANC, economic freedom fighters. They are not scared of capital, white monopoly capital. They are ready to confront white monopoly capital.
“They are determined to reclaim their land and they are asking for leadership.
We will lead ourselves. There will be an unled revolution which seeks to reclaim the land.”
He said there was no way to be diplomatic about the matter of land as the willing buyer, willing seller policy had failed. “So what are you defending?”
Malema reiterated that the league did not agree with the land reform method used in Zimbabwe, but that the land question was critical.
His remarks alarmed Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder, who is also the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. Yesterday he called on farmers to safeguard themselves following Malema’s comments about land.
He warned that Malema’s comments on land ownership were “taking us back to the period before 1994, when violence and even the possibility of a civil war was part of the South African debate”. – Additional reporting by Sapa
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