Sanco slams Malema theatrics

South Africans will not be deceived by demagogues, and Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema’s theatrics and baseless accusations of new state capture confirm the extent to which he is prepared to “stoop low and allow lunacy to define the political discourse in the run-up to the 2019 elections”, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said yesterday.

South Africans would not be deceived by those who try to undermine the strides President Cyril Ramaphosa was making towards the country’s economic recovery, Sanco national spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu said.

“Julius Malema’s theatrics and baseless accusations of ‘new state capture’ levelled at mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, his family, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, and former finance minister Trevor Manuel confirm the extent to which he is prepared to stoop,” he said.

“He opts for vulgarity spiced with empty rhetoric in typical right-wing public oratory style that is appealing to emotions instead of logic,” Mahlangu said.

While this may increase the size of his audience at rallies in the short-term, they would not necessary translate into votes.

“He is very much like [US President] Donald Trump, who in our case will completely destroy our rebounding economy with anarchy, populist, as well as unsustainable policies,” Mahlangu said.

Addressing a capacity crowd at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, Malema said Motsepe “must stay away from government because he was not an elected public representative”.

Malema also attacked Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, saying he wanted to privatise state-owned enterprises (SoEs). – ANA