ANC Youth League president Julius Malema is diverting attention from his own trust by shining the spotlight on “public representatives” who he says are getting money from several trusts they own.
Stopping short of naming these public figures, Malema told journalists yesterday: “How many people have trusts? I have one. They have three or four. For their wives and husbands and concubines. Public representatives have trusts and are receiving money into those trusts. Why don’t you ask them?”
He was speaking at the Airport Grand Hotel in Kempton Park after the youth league’s first national executive committee since his re-election in June.
Malema reiterated his stance on his much-publicised trust fund, the Ratanang Family Trust, alleged to hold bribe money from businessmen who wanted tenders, saying he was more than happy to open up the financials of his trust fund if a court ruled that all public figures expose their trust funds.
“I have no problem complying with such an order. Let all of us be subjected to the same ruling.”
He said the Hawks were more than welcome to investigate.
“I am very comfortable where I am. If you are accusing me, you must bring proof. I have never taken a bribe. That’s why I speak freely without fear or favour. I needed an entity to mobilise these resources. I wanted to leave a legacy. I am not going to be silenced. I am not scared of jail. You can arrest me but you can't arrest my ideas.”
The league had made journalists wait for more than an hour while it continued with its meeting. Among issues discussed were the nationalisation of mines, free education, the league setting up a Botswana command team to help opposition forces in the country overthrow the Botswana Democratic Party, and how the AU no longer had a strong voice since the departure of former president Thabo Mbeki as its head.
However, talk about Malema’s trust fund dominated the press conference.
Calling City Press reporter Piet Rampedi “some emerging village boy”, Malema said the league was closing the chapter on the trust and told journalists to get their own stories and not follow those of Rampedi.
He boasted that his trust fund had received “even more” calls from good Samaritans who wanted to contribute, and said most of those who had contributed had come forward saying they were not ashamed of their contributions.
Malema also commented on media reports in The Sunday Independent, alleging he was building a house for his grandmother in Seshego, Limpopo. He said it was immoral for the media to invade the privacy of the elderly woman.
“That old woman gave birth to nine kids. Each of them have kids. And those kids have kids. You are undermining that family. I am not the only one who is successful.
“The trust is compliant with tax. I have no problem with the taxman. The life I live, I can afford. I am not sponsored by criminals or thugs.” - The Star