Julius Malema – I am not a dictator, I work hard

Following his re-election uncontested, EFF leader Julius Malema has dismissed claims that he was ruling the party with an iron fist. Briefing the media on Sunday on the progress of the party’s second national assembly currently underway in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg, Malema said his dominance within the party was due to hard work and not dictatorship. Malema and his deputy Floyd Shivambu were the only officials among the previous top six who retained their positions at the conference.

“If you are going to engage in elitist politics of tweeting, those of us who are on the ground will just look at you and say ‘look at this clown’. We know what is going to happen. We are on the ground. We are not scared of the ground,” Malema said. Malema accused the media of being used by his detractors to ensure his downfall, which he said would not succeed.

“We are in charge here. We are not playing games,” he said. Malema said he had never lost elective conferences and that people had to give credit to him even if they hated him.

“My simple thing of being re-elected unopposed all the time is very simple. I work very hard. I don’t take anything for granted. I pay attention to the smallest detail. I know everything that is happening in this conference. Even if you want to hate me, you have to come to accept that it does not matter what you think of me. So I am not a dictator, I am a hard worker,” he said.

EFF head of security Marshal Dlamini defeated incumbent secretary general Godrich Gardee, while Dali Mpofu who unsuccessfully contested for deputy president against Shivambu was succeeded by EFF MP Victoria Mente. EFF MP Ompile Maotwe was elected treasurer-general, replacing Leigh-Ann Mathys whilPoppy Mailola replaced Hlengiwe Hlophe as deputy secretary-general. Malema said he had singlehandedly worked his way up in politics. It is those who can’t defeat me who call me names that I am a dictator,” he said. It was unclear if Mpofu, Hlophe and Mathys would make it to the Central Command Team as additional members as nominations began on Sunday evening.

In other news  – Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Tilato #OurPerfectWedding

Ntombikayise (35) and Bongani (37) are both originally from Soweto, currently living in Fourways. Their paths first crossed when they attended the same high school. At that time, I was not dating any guys,” says Ntombikayise. “So after high school, we met in 2012. [I was] going shopping for my 3-year-old. It was going to be her birthday party. And then I met up with him.

Crossing paths again has seemed to be exceptionally serendipitous. “I saw a lot of potential in her and all that was left was for me to ask her out,” says Bongani. “I was scared. I was afraid of rejection and all of that. But Ntombikayise says he wanted her phone number. She went a step further and invited him to her daughter’s party. “I asked him if he had a child. He said yes and I asked him to bring her. I was also single so I was hoping, like, you know….” She smiles broadly recalling the discussion. Read more

Source: IOL