SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA | Malema, leadership demands responsibility as much as charisma

The sentencing of Julius Malema to five years of direct imprisonment could spell the end of an illustrious political career. Of course, the Economic Freedom Fighters founder and leader has appealed the sentence, and the prospects of success are high. But should his appeal fail, he could be lost to SA politics for several years.

Malema’s contribution to our political landscape cannot be overstated. Since his election as president of the ANC Youth League in 2008, he has been an influential figure who stands out as one of the most dynamic leaders of his generation. Under his stewardship, the league became a thorn in the side of the ANC.

His push for radical policies – the nationalisation of mines and banks and the expropriation of land without compensation – put him at odds with the party’s leadership. Yet these ideas won the hearts and minds of those impatient with the status quo. When he was eventually expelled from the ANC, he adopted the Youth League’s proposals as the EFF’s policy positions.

The EFF was initially established as a protest movement to pressure the establishment into adopting radical reforms. Malema fashioned himself as a modern-day revolutionary, a representative of the poor. He used every platform to highlight the plight of the forgotten, positioning the EFF as the movement created to liberate them.

He was loud, uncompromising, and often disregarded established decorum. This made many uncomfortable, but it also gave him authenticity. When the EFF mobilised society for the removal of then president Jacob Zuma, Malema spoke in tones that some thought disrespectful for someone his age to use toward an elder. But Malema spoke his mind. He didn’t care.

His calls for expropriation without compensation were rooted in his belief that white people had stolen land from Africans. Critics argued his politics were divisive in a country still grappling with reconciliation. His expensive tastes exposed a contradiction: a representative of the poor who lives like a capitalist.

I have followed Malema’s political career for at least 18 years. His ability to connect with his constituency has always left me in awe. Under him, the Youth League was a serious voice in society. Their pronouncements carried significant weight. When they spoke, people sat up and listened. As his influence grew, many in the ANC regarded him as a threat to their ambitions.

The EFF started small. I had the pleasure of occupying a front seat when the party contested its first elections in 2014. Alongside former Sunday Times photographer Simphiwe Nkwali, I followed Malema and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi across the country as they canvassed for votes.

We saw him address huge crowds and intimate gatherings in the most remote areas. In all his interactions, he captured audiences with remarkable oratory. His ability to show he related to their suffering made him appealing.

Malema always harboured ambitions of one day becoming the president of SA. At some stage, he foresaw a situation where the EFF might merge with the ANC, paving his way to the Union Buildings. But as the ANC lost its electoral dominance, Malema was hoping for a future government that included the ANC, EFF and the MK Party, where he was going to play a role in government.

Now, however, that dream could be delayed further. It was only a matter of time before his shenanigans caught up with him. He survived charges of alleged tender corruption in Limpopo when a court struck the matter off the roll after a co‑accused fell ill in 2015.

Three years later, he fired a weapon during an election rally in the Eastern Cape – a moment of madness that has come to haunt him. He has suggested that the charges against him are a political ploy to silence his ideas but, as a leader, he should have known better.

Malema has been fascinated with guns since his days at the Congress of South African Students. Those who know him say he has always flirted with firearms. Yet, his incarceration would be of no benefit to our politics. His voice, whether one agrees with him or not, has shaped political developments in this country. His party has shaken the establishment and kept those in power on their toes.

The EFF was preparing to play a more significant role in government after the upcoming municipal elections. The appointment of EFF’s Gauteng chairperson Nkululeko Dunga as finance MEC was just the beginning. Malema’s possible jailing could strike a major blow to that ambition, although it may be too early to write his political obituary.

Although there’s debate whether Malema’s sentence is too harsh, we should take comfort in knowing we have a functional criminal justice system where even the most powerful can be held accountable.

Malema’s fate remains uncertain, but his impact on SA politics is undeniable. His absence would leave a void, yet his story is also a reminder that leadership demands responsibility as much as charisma.