Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Zuma chides Malema over Zim

Zuma chides Malema over Zim
by
28/05/2010 00:00:00

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has told South African MPs that Julius Malema was admonished for supporting Zanu-PF, and reiterated that the ANC Youth League leader's views on nationalisation of mines were not ANC policy.

Members of parliament asked Zuma if Malema's visit to Zimbabwe last month, in which he expressed support for President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and denounced Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T, had hampered his mediation role in Harare.

Inkatha Freedom Party MP Velaphi Ndlovu asked: "If a person under your leadership, being your child, says something different to what you are doing what should you do as an elder?

"How do you explain this to those who have mandated you (to mediate in Zimbabwe)... about the problem of a child differing with you as an adult?"

Zuma insisted that he had dealt with Malema about his conduct in Zimbabwe.
"In fact, when your child steps out of line you admonish him and I admonished the child. Secondly, this is not a matter to be reported to the SADC.

“What is important is that I'm going to table a report in the SADC that is directly related to my work. Even though the children were admonished, that did not interrupt our work there," Zuma said.

Questioned on Malema's remarks that the ANC Youth League's views had always prevailed and that was why they were confident they would win the nationalisation debate within the ANC - Zuma insisted that those were Malema's views.

"We have said that Mr Malema, like any other South African, has a right to his views and his views are his views. It could be the views of the ANCYL as well. Historically, the ANC Youth League has had views, very strong views. It does not mean that all views were accepted,” Zuma said.

The South African leader reiterated that nationalization of mines – which Malema is pushing - was not ANC policy.

"In the ANC we are a democratic organisation. On this matter the ANC has a policy. We don't have a nationalisation policy as the ANC,” he said.

Malema was disciplined by the ANC over the remarks but the outspoken youth leader claimed that he had emerged stronger from the Saga.

His intervention on Zimbabwe angered Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party with officials saying Malema’s comments put into question Zuma’s impartiality.

The South African leader was mandated by the regional SADC grouping to facilitate dialogue between President Mugabe and his rivals.

Labels: JACOB ZUMA, JULIUS MALEMA

posted by MrK @ 4:37 AM