Winnie should have been president – Malema
Madikizela-Mandela should have been president, crowd told
EFF leader Julius Malema has been at pains to explain how Winnie MadikizelaMandela was badly treated by ANC leaders.
Addressing EFF supporters yesterday, Malema said Madikizela-Mandela was supposed to have been the president of South Africa.
“But the men in the ANC were threatened by a woman and whites were threatened by African women,” he said.
“That is why they did everything to destroy her. They said a lot of nonsense which they are repeating today.”
Madikizela-Mandela would have liberated many black people, he argued.
He said Madikizela-Mandela wanted to stand against Jacob Zuma at the ANC national conference in Mahikeng, North West, in 1997. At that conference Thabo Mbeki was elected ANC president while Zuma became his deputy.
“Zuma was brought by men who were scared of a woman in Mafikeng,” Malema said.
The EFF leader criticised the ANC for not allowing Madikizela-Mandela to challenge for the position of ANC deputy president.
“We would not have known an animal called Zuma,” Malema said.
“These people who are scared of African females destroyed the mother of the nation who would have restored the dignity of black people.”
Malema described Madikizela-Mandela as the stone that was rejected by the builders.
“We have seen the people who didn’t want Mama Winnie frequenting this house and playing some leading roles. We are watching them. We are very close to the family. We will continue to advise the family as to what is acceptable and what unacceptable.
“We know what Mama hated.” Without mentioning any names, Malema said that the EFF would be monitoring those who Madikizela-Mandela did not want next to her.
“We will be monitoring them closely. We will whisper into their ears and if they did not listen we will call them out publicly,” he said.
“They must not come here and be hypocrites. Some of them are the celebrities of our government today. But those are the people who destroyed Winnie Mandela.”
Malema, who had a close relationship with Madikizela-Mandela, called on those people to continue to distance themselves from Madikizela-Mandela in the same way they distanced themselves from her in the 1980s.
“We are proud to be here because we never neglected her,” he said.
“We are here to say to the people of South Africa the spear has fallen and we are here to pick up that spear.”
Yesterday, those who visited Madikizela-Mandela’s house included cabinet ministers Zweli Mkhize, Nomvula Mokonyane and Ayanda Dlodlo.
The ANC Women’s League leadership also arrived, which included Bathabile Dlamini and Sisi Ntombela.
Mokonyane admitted that Malema was Madikizela-Mandela’s “own son”.
She said the fact that there were different political parties outside MadikizelaMandela’s house paying tribute to her was a symbol of unity.
“We all have a right to claim a stake in her. That’s why she is embraced by every political party and any community.”