Julius is a dictator’
IT S Thursday and the post- “rapture day in
’ ” Seshego in Limpopo is substance free. It doesn t offer much but the standard
’ issue of township lifestyle hipster school
– girls in their casual day dresses going to school, those left home getting down to the morning chores. It s a sweltering day. Even dogs have
’ retreated to their kennels, preferring to shack up with leeches.
Most of the day on Thursday and Friday was spent chasing dead ends Malema s
– ’ close circle refusing to talk, the community refusing to comment for fear of reprisals...
The man himself was in a state, huddled in his grandma s house, careful not to throw
’ another word into the journalistic fire outside his home. Police surveillance is still visible. About 14 police cars guard Malema s
’ house on Mohlalerwa Sstreet.
There are five for anti-malema man Boy Mamabolo, the chairman of ANCYL s
’ Seshego branch, another five for Jacob Lebogo, the provincial secretary of the youth league, and six for Jossie Buthane, a member of the PEC on Bo-okelo Street.
By Friday evening people are still munching down to the Malema vs Mamabolo comparison former friends who are
– now riding the resentment wave.
The skirmish on Wednesday was a predictor of the rough time ahead for youth politics in Limpopo.
When meeting Mamabolo, you relish the puns and the metaphors he spews out.
Julius is sick. He is a dictator. “If you don t agree with him he “’ harasses you. He sends his boys to your house to “beat you up,” he tells us. He and I were cooked in the same pot. “
That is the one point he forgets. I told “him before that I m going to bring him
’ down. I can mobilise and he can t because he “’ is out of touch with the people. How can you be in touch with the peo“ple when your house is barricaded with high walls? How can you be in touch if you stay in “the suburbs? The man has no support anymore. “The NDC would have thought twice “about its decision if Malema had a support base. He no longer has a support base. That is why they haven t thought twice “’ about it,” he adds.
Asked about the fight on Wednesday, Mamabolo puts it poetically. We were just going to an unveiling of a “tombstone. Our problem started when we invited Malema to join us. The next thing the cops were every“where,” he says.
The point is we fear no one. Julius will “not sleep until he surrenders the youth league. We are going to sit in the PEC of the “ANC by force. We are prepared to lose our lives for this organisation,” he brags.
Asked why would he go to such extremes, Mamabolo s answer is simple:
’ We know nothing besides the ANC. “Where does Malema want us to go?”
A final parting shot from Mamabolo: This was merely a warm-up to the real “event on Malema s birthday (yesterday).
’ Our artist is working on something for “the day. I don t think it will be a tombstone
’ again. We will decide. So do you want to see “him working on the piece?”