News / Africa
Reason why Malema was invited to UK
02 Aug 2012 at 04:03hrs | Views
EXPELLED ANC youth league president Julius Malema is seen as a genuine advocate for the economic emancipation of the African people. This is according to Conrad Mwanza, a representative of a UK-based events company that arranged Malema's visit to London.
Mwanza - speaking from the British capital - told Sowetan that Malema's views were popular among the Caribbean community and that this drove his company to bring the fire-brand over.
"Julius is very popular among the Caribbean community in the United Kingdom," said Mwanza.
"They believe in what he advocates in terms of the economic emancipation of the African people. They see him as someone who is fighting to improve the lives of the people of Africa."
Mwanza said Malema was brought over to London by events companies CMG and Base Africa.
He dismissed speculation that Malema's his trip was funded by some within the ANC, the youth league or Friends of the Youth League.
"We applied for his (travel) papers at the Home Office and we arranged all the meetings and interviews he attended," said Mwanza.
Malema has been criss crossing South Africa, since his expulsion from the ANC in April, spearheading the youth league's campaign of economic freedom, which included mine nationalisation and expropriation of land without compensation.
This is despite the idea seemingly having been defeated at the ruling party's recent policy conference.
On Monday, secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said wholesale nationalisation was not an economically sound policy, signalling that the party would in all likelihood dump the idea at its elective conference in Mangaung, Free State, later this year.
However, acting youth league president Ronald Lamola insisted on Monday, while addressing members of the league's Dr Mxolisi Majombozi branch at the University of the Witwatersrand, that mines would be nationalised.
In London, Malema is understood to have continued to pronounce on what he believes is the imminent demise of President Jacob Zuma and his own political come-back.
He reportedly said: "When we remove President Zuma in December, it will be an automatic overturning of that decision".
Malema also addressed the business community in London, seeking to explain the league's radical economic positions.
Mwanza - speaking from the British capital - told Sowetan that Malema's views were popular among the Caribbean community and that this drove his company to bring the fire-brand over.
"Julius is very popular among the Caribbean community in the United Kingdom," said Mwanza.
"They believe in what he advocates in terms of the economic emancipation of the African people. They see him as someone who is fighting to improve the lives of the people of Africa."
Mwanza said Malema was brought over to London by events companies CMG and Base Africa.
He dismissed speculation that Malema's his trip was funded by some within the ANC, the youth league or Friends of the Youth League.
"We applied for his (travel) papers at the Home Office and we arranged all the meetings and interviews he attended," said Mwanza.
This is despite the idea seemingly having been defeated at the ruling party's recent policy conference.
On Monday, secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said wholesale nationalisation was not an economically sound policy, signalling that the party would in all likelihood dump the idea at its elective conference in Mangaung, Free State, later this year.
However, acting youth league president Ronald Lamola insisted on Monday, while addressing members of the league's Dr Mxolisi Majombozi branch at the University of the Witwatersrand, that mines would be nationalised.
In London, Malema is understood to have continued to pronounce on what he believes is the imminent demise of President Jacob Zuma and his own political come-back.
He reportedly said: "When we remove President Zuma in December, it will be an automatic overturning of that decision".
Malema also addressed the business community in London, seeking to explain the league's radical economic positions.
Source - Sowetanlive
