Julius Sello Malema is the Commander-in-Chief of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which he founded in July 2013. He previously served as President of the African National Congress Youth League from 2008 to 2012. Here are top 30 things you probably didn’t know about him.

1. Joined politics at the age of Nine.

He joined the African National Congress’s Masupatsela at the age of nine. His main task at the time, was to remove National Party posters.

2. Political Judas.

Malema previously served as President of the African National Congress Youth League from 2008 to 2012. He was a member of the ANC until his expulsion from the party in April 2012. After using ANC to build his political career, he betrayed the party that made him what he is today by using his in depth knowledge of the ANC against them.

3. Racist.

Julius Malema was convicted of hate speech in March 2010 and again in September 2011. He said “South Africa is for blacks only”.

4. Mama winnie’s Ben 10.

Malema and Winnie Mandela have been seen many times expressing their affection for each other by kissing publicly. ”NOTE” I am not saying there is anything wrong in that.

Read Also ; Top 12 things you probably didn’t know about Winnie Mandela that may shock you.

5. Fraud and money-laundering.

In September 2012 he was charged with fraud and money-laundering. He appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate Court in November 2012 to face these charges, plus an additional charge of racketeering.

 

6. Nigerian visit to ‘Prophet’ T.B. Joshua for ‘spiritual blessings‘

Malema visited Nigeria to meet with ‘Prophet’ T.B. Joshua for ‘spiritual blessings’ in August 2013. He was accompanied by some EFF members.  The visit elicited controversy and media attention.

7. Raised by Poor single mum.

His mother was a domestic worker and a single parent.

 

8. Education.

Malema graduated from Mohlakaneng High School, Seshego, Limpopo. In 2010, he completed a two-year diploma in youth development through University of South Africa (UNISA). In 2011 he enrolled at UNISA for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and African languages, and he graduated in March 2016.

9.Nedbank controversy.

In September 2009 Malema threatened to mobilize people to withdraw their Nedbank accounts after the bank decided to withdraw its sponsorship from Athletics South Africa (ASA).

10. A dictator.

Malema has been described as a proponent of an “emerging fascism in South Africa.” Mamphela Ramphele expressed similar views of Malema. His political mentor is Robert Mugabe. He ordered EFF councillors to hand in more than half of their three months Salaries to cover election spendings.

Read Also ; EFF councillors ordered to hand in 65% of their salaries to recover election spending.

11. Hate speech conviction

On 15 March 2010, Malema was convicted of hate speech by the Equality Court of South Africa, fined R50 000 and ordered to apologise unconditionally, following a 2009 incident when he told a group of Cape Town students at a South African Students’ Congress (SASCO) meeting that the woman who accused President Zuma of rape had a “nice time” with him because in the morning she had “requested breakfast and taxi money”.

In March 2010, at a rally on a university campus Malema sang the lyrics “shoot the Boer” (Dubul’ ibhunu) from the anti-apartheid song “Ayasab’ amagwala” (The cowards are scared). (“Boer” is the Afrikaans word for “farmer”, but is also used as a term for any Afrikaans-speaking white person.

12. Money laundering and tax evasion charges.

On 26 September 2012, Malema was charged with money laundering, relating to his awarding of lucrative government contracts in Limpopo in return for an alleged 4 million rand in kickbacks.

After a hearing at the court in Polokwane, he was granted bail of 10,000 rand.  Malema is facing charges of tax evasion in the amount of R16-million after it was revealed that he was linked to companies that obtained other lucrative contracts from the Limpopo government.

13. Abuse of BBC Journalist.

On 8 April 2010, at a Johannesburg media briefing Malema was involved in an incendiary incident with Jonah Fisher, a BBC journalist. Malema was unapologetic and accused Fisher of being disrespectful, and of coming from a country [the UK] which Malema claimed had undermined the credibility and integrity of African leaders like Mugabe.

14. Zimbabwe Visit.

On 3 April 2010, Malema visited Zimbabwe. Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwean Prime Minister, condemned Malema’s visit, after Malema criticised Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). During the visit, he described Tsvangirai as an ally of “imperialists”, and called for the Mugabe-style seizure of mines and farms in South Africa.

Malema also blamed the MDC for introducing political violence to Zimbabwe, and defended Robert Mugabe’s political and human rights record. Upon Malema’s return from Zimbabwe, the ANC Youth league released a statement praising Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s land seizures. It called on young black South Africans to follow the example of young people in Zimbabwe and to engage in agriculture in order to reduce their dependence on white farmers.

15. Has no respect for elders and leaders.

As an elected MP, Malema has been publicly critical of President Zuma, calling Pres. Zuma a criminal in Parliament, especially as regards the ANC leader’s alleged corruption with respect to the Nkandla scandal.

Read Also ; Julius Malema and EFF not willing to listen to ‘the criminal’ speak in Parliament.

16. ANC Discipline of Malema.

On 18 April 2010, it was reported that Malema faced disciplinary procedures by the ANC for bringing it and the government into disrepute. The charges related to :

• Malema’s endorsement of Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party during his visit to Zimbabwe, at a time when President Zuma was trying to broker a negotiated settlement in the country.
• A controversial incident between Malema and a BBC journalist.
• Malema’s comments on the murder of Eugène Terre’Blanche.
• Malema’s unfavorable comparison of Zuma to his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, after Zuma called a press conference reprimanding Malema.

17. would do anything for Power.

In an interview with the international news broadcaster Al Jazeera English and broadcast on 24 April 2016 Malema stated that should the ruling ANC continue to act violently against protests “we [the EFF] will remove this government through the barrel of a gun.

18. Debt owed to SARS.

In February 2013 it was reported that Malema’s property would be auctioned off to pay a R16.1 million debt he owed the South African Revenue Service (SARS) after he failed to meet payment deadlines for unpaid taxes. Malema entered into a further deal with SARS to pay back the money which collapsed in March 2015.

19. Early political career.

He was elected a chairman of the Youth League branch in Seshego and the regional chairman in 1995. In 1997 he became the chairman of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) for the Limpopo province, and was elected as the national president of that organisation in 2001. In 2002, Malema led a Cosas march by school pupils, through Johannesburg; the march was marked by incidents of violence and looting.

 

20. ANC Youth League Election.

Malema was elected as the president of the ANC Youth League in April 2008, receiving 1,833 votes to Saki Mofokeng’s 1,696 votes. The election – and the conference – were characterised by intimidation, fraud and which Malema himself later described as “unbecoming conduct”. The integrity of his election has been criticised and questioned.

Malema was later re-elected unopposed for a second term on 17 June 2011 at Gallagher Estate in Midrand when Lebogang Maile, the only opposing nominee, declined the nomination

21. A pedi.

Malema is a Pedi. He was born and grew up in Seshego, Transvaal Province.

22. Nationalisation and land redistribution.

Malema became a vocal advocate of nationalising South African mines. At a public meeting at the University of Western Cape, Malema asked: “Why should we pay for our land? At a 16 June Youth Day celebration, Malema accused white South Africans of “stealing land” and again advocated for the redistribution of land without compensation. He said whites had committed murder to get land. “He said the youths in South Africa were calling for whites to surrender land and minerals resources they hold because when they came from Europe they did not carry any land into South Africa.”

 

23. Not the Purse of EFF.

Many South Africans believe Malema is the deep pocket behind EFF. He is outspoken and brave but Nyiko Floyd Shivambu is the Purse of the party.

24. Salary.

As a minister of parliament Malema is paid R101‚885 (equivalent to US$ 6,500) a month.

25. Investigation by the Hawks.

In late October 2011, it was reported in various South African media that Malema faced various charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering – these charges having been brought forward by the Special Investigative Unit, the Hawks. The warrant was reportedly issued following an investigation into a tender awarded in 2010 to EduSolutions, to distribute textbooks to students in Limpopo. An investigation into the incident was launched by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), SA Revenue Service (Sars) and the elite police unit, the Hawks, following the discovery of dumped textbooks near a dam in Limpopo.

26. Personal life.

Malema is known for his oratory skills. He married his long time girlfriend in a private ceremony under heavy security in his hometown Seshego in 2014. Julius also has a son named Ratanang from a previous relationship with Maropeng Ramohlale.

27. HIV Status.

Julius Malema is a dying man, says African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) Deputy President Desmond Moela.

“When you are outside the ANC, it is cold. Each and every day, Julius dying inside. Even when he is walking, you can see [that] this man is sick. He is sick because it is not the same [as when he was] still in the ANC,” said Moela.

It was believed that Malea got HIV.

 

Read Also 11 shocking things you probably didn’t know about Pres. Zuma that will surprise you.

NT. Article submitted by a content contributed.