Maravi

(ZIMBABWE GUARDIAN) Malema kicks out 'bastard' BBC journo

COMMENT - The BBC long ago lost their reputation, when they decided to become the mouthpiece for the MDC, which is of course funded by the UK and US governments. They should not be surprised when real nationalists do not go along with their propaganda.

Malema kicks out 'bastard' BBC journo
Posted: Thursday, April 8, 2010 1:32 pm

Julius Malema, leader of the African National Congress's Youth League (ANCYL), speaks to the media at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg April 8, 2010.

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema on Thursday kicked out a BBC journalist from the African National Congress building where he was having a media briefing on his recent trip to Zimbabwe after he continously interjected him during his presentation.

The BBC journalist who tried to interrupt Malema when he was making his presentation was kicked out of the briefing at Chief Albert Luthuli House in Johannesburg and called a "bastard" (see video below).

The ANC Youth League president was criticising the Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for speaking out against the visit from its office in Sandton, when BBC journalist Jonah Fisher, who was part of a packed press conference on the 11th floor of the party headquarters, interrupted him to defend the MDC.

Malema said they should go back to Zimbabwe and criticize from there as South Africa did not support or welcome their views.

The ANC youth president also said the MDC was responsible for sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and for the deportation of Zanu-PF leaders' children from the West, so they should leave South Africa.

When BBC journalist Fisher tried to defend the MDC, Mr Malema retorted: "This is not a newsroom, this is a revolutionary house. Don't come here with that white tendency. You can do it somewhere else, do it somewhere else. If you have a tendency of undermining blacks you can do it somewhere else.

"You are a small boy, you can't do anything. You know nothing about a revolution. Go out, bastard, go out. You bloody agent," Malema shouted at the BBC reporter.

Fisher then packed up his equipment and was escorted by security, saying: "I did not come here to be insulted"

Malema also accused South African journalists of being obsessed with him and for writing untruths when he was in Zimbabwe.

“Chief, can you get security to remove this thing here,” he said to security referring to the reporter.

Explaining what had happened later, Malema said the youth league and its leadership could not be undermined "in our own terrain".

"This is not a playground. This is not a beerhall. Don't abuse us in our own space, in our own house," he said, referring to the ANC headquarters.

He denied that he was threatening media freedom, but said media could not operate "without limitation".

Malema recently returned from a trip to Zimbabwe where he was briefed on the economic empowerment and indigenisation drive started by the Government.

In his briefing to journalists, Malema hailed Zimbabwe's land reform policy as "courageous and militant".

"Land reform in Zimbabwe has been very successful," he said, adding that the programme was a "very correct method".

Malema said violence, however, should never be used to implement any policy.

'SHOOT THE BOER'

Meanwhile, the ANCYL will not use the words "Shoot the Boer" when singing the struggle song Ayesaba Amagwala, Malema said at the briefing.

However, he added: "There is no court which can ban the song and we agree with it.

"These people who presided over the song [the judges and court system] are the same people who presided over comrades during Apartheid," he said.

He added that the youth league would heed the ANC's call for restraint until such time as the party takes a final decision and current lawsuits have been settled.

"We will continue to sing it outside of South Africa," he added.

NO ATTENDANCE TO EUGENE TERRE'BLANCHE'S FUNERAL

Malema said he would not attend racist and Apartheid sympathiser AWB leader Eugene Terre'Blanche's funeral because the far right wing leader was not a man he respected. "He died before changing his racist behaviour. His death should not be linked to the ANC struggle song (Kill the Boer).

Malema said Terre'Blanche's killing must be treated as a criminal case. "Our hands do not have blood," he said.

"The death of Terre Blanche must open our eyes to what our people are subjected to on these farms. We are not proud of his death, but the truth must be told," said Malema.

Labels: BBC, JULIUS MALEMA, LAND REFORM

posted by MrK @ 4:09 PM