ANC’S prodigal son who won’t go home

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THERE is a national pastime to which we seem addicted. In the imagination of a section of the nation, at least, and in the selfimagination of the ANC in particular, there seems to be a recurring vision of a bereft Julius Malema standing outside the gates of Luthuli House.

He’s a haggard-looking Malema, constantly licking his lower lip, bawling like baby and rubbing his hands in humble supplication.

At the point when Malema’s voice is about to go hoarse with grief, President Cyril Ramaphosa appears from above. He stands, smiling broadly at the door. Majestically, Ramaphosa descends the stairs of the Luthuli House entrance, walking towards Malema.

He is flanked by party chair

Gwede Mantashe, chief campaigner and Malema friend Fikile Mbalula and Deputy President David Mabuza.

From a safe distance, Derek Hanekom and Nomvula Mokonyane are looking on, with a hint of glee on their faces. As Ramaphosa reaches the bottom of the stairs he opens his arms and an excited Malema tries to walk and run and fly towards him.

Then Malema and Ramaphosa lock in a long, heartfelt embrace.

More than just being an ANC dream, this vision has become part of of South African political and popular culture. In terms of this narrative, Malema, leader of the EFF, is a prodigal son, estranged from his home, the ANC.

This mythical narrative started soon after Malema was expelled from the ANC in 2012. Not even the formation of the EFF in 2013 was able to kill the speculation.

Over its brief five-year history, the EFF itself has repeatedly been projected as the vehicle that would somehow facilitate Malema’s return.

Similarly, when the EFF surprised everyone and garnered 6% of the national vote in 2014, one might have thought the myth of the return of the prodigal son would die. On the contrary, it grew more wings.

After the 2016 local elections, the EFF became kingmakers in several key municipalities. Then we started hearing, from the highest places in the ANC, pleas, even demands, for the EFF to form municipal coalitions with the ANC.

For each of the past seven or so years, we have listened to fantastic versions of the story of the great return of Malema, described with such charming adjectives as “imminent”, “possible”, “necessary”, “welcome” and “inevitable”.

The latest instalment of the great Malema myth of return was filed by none other than the ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy, David Mabuza.

“We would love to have Julius Malema back in the ANC. He is still ANC down deep in his heart,” Ramaphosa was quoted saying midweek. And Mabuza was reported to have said Malema had a “special place” in his heart.

It is no accident that both Ramaphosa and Mabuza issued their famous invitations to Malema (not the EFF!) on the occasion of election campaigning.

From time to time, the precise words used by the pedlars of the great return of Malema change.

But the core message remains as consistent as the catchphrase at the end of each Terminator movie, when Arnold Schwarzenegger, with an exaggerated Austrian-english accent growls: “I vill be back.”

In the case of Malema, it has always been others who have said of him, with the same Schwarzeneggerian vehemence, that “Malema will be back”.

It seems settled in the minds of some in the ANC that when a problem child (as Malema was regarded as ANCYL leader) grows up, he becomes a prodigal son and when the prodigal son grows up, he returns home, to live happily ever after.

For years now, hints and allegations of “the great return” have dogged Malema. In the process, he has had to employ every weapon in his political toolkit.

Sometimes he has employed the famous South African “political categorical denial”, complete with all the typical “nooit”, “over-my-deadbody” and “angeke” exclamations. At other times he has used biting sarcasm and scorn.

Recently on Twitter, Malema responded to the latest invitation, with a mixture of “categorical denial” and sarcasm: “I won’t do it, that thing (presumably meaning the ANC?) is dead. Worse, they now have two presidents, one for ANC of Natal called Zupta and Ramapostponer for the rest, and now I must go and join the confusion. Never.”

The truth is that this toddler political party, the EFF, has developed into a considerable political pressure group. Since arriving in the National Assembly, it has questioned every little convention, stretched every rule, rattled every feather on the back of every peacock and made juicy hamburgers out of every sacred cow.

In the process, Parliament has not always been a pretty sight. Nothing illustrates this more than the picture, once viral, of Malema, grimacing in pain, as three hefty parliamentary white-shirts manhandle him, throwing him and his comrades out of Parliament.

All in all, the Zuma presidency has been good for the EFF in terms of publicity and campaigning. Among their many “victories” against Zuma, the EFF will probably place the Constitutional Court Nkandla ruling towards the top. Their deft political footwork after becoming kingmakers following the 2016 local elections is also notable.

However, the crème de la crème of all their small but accumulative victories is the removal of Zuma. Technically, Zuma was recalled by the ANC. But it was the last EFF motion of no confidence against Zuma, endorsed by the ANC on the morning of February 14, which became the straw that broke the back of a very stubborn camel.

How else do we explain Zuma’s bizarre and somewhat incoherent February 14 resignation statement?

A summary of the statement in two sentences is: “Unless I am given reasons, I will never ever resign. Therefore, I resign with immediate effect.”

At the moment, things could not be better for the EFF. Any wonder the sagging myth of the return of Julius is being vigorously resuscitated?

Will the prodigal son return home? Asked during a talk-radio show in the week, Malema replied: “I will never be a member of the ANC.”

However, he was quick to add that “it would be naive for any political formation to say it will not engage other political parties, including the ANC”.

Now that, is interesting. Are we witnessing the beginnings of a bromance between Ramaphosa and Malema, the ANC and the EFF?

From the University of Pretoria, Maluleke is a distinguished fellow and visiting professor at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, US.