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FURIOUS: Sdumo Dlamini

UNITED: Protesters chanting during yesterday's march in Johannesburg. PHOTO: MOHAU MOFOKENG

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JULIUS Malema may be in trouble with the ANC, but the embattled ANC Youth League leader yesterday proved popular with striking workers.

The strikers almost caused a stampede as they scrambled to catch a glimpse of him when he joined the anti-labour-broking and e-toll march in Johannesburg.

Scores of workers behind him pushed forward to get closer to Malema. At one point he had to be whisked into a vehicle 'for his safety'.

Workers demanded that Cosatu leaders allow Malema to address them outside the Department of Labour offices in Braamfontein as well as outside Premier Nomvula Mokonyane's office in central Johannesburg.

Some sections of the crowd chanted a song that suggested Malema, who has been expelled from the ANC, "is going nowhere". After union leaders relented, Malema did not disappoint. He called for a total war against labour brokers and the dismantling of tollgates.

But Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini, who was leading a march in KwaZulu-Natal, was not impressed.

Without mentioning Malema by name, he told workers there that people who have problems with the ANC should not run to the trade union federation for support, because that would divide the two million-member ANC tripartite alliance partner.

He said it happened in Johannesburg, where an ANC member had used the union's march for his own politicking.

Malema told the marchers he did not want to speak for long as the protest was a Cosatu event - but marchers would hear none of it.

"We are here to support a Cosatu march and the general secretary will address all of us. I am not going to speak for long because this is a Cosatu event," he said.

A memorandum was delivered to the Department of Labour, and then the march descended to Mokonyane's office. After Mokonyane had accepted the memorandum, the workers interrupted her while addressing them, chanting "Juju! Juju! Juju!"

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Thu May 23 04:25:06 SAST 2013 ::

Mar 8, 2012

Mopedipedi

I love Juju, SA politics wont be the same without you.I miss you already.
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Mar 8, 2012

Dinamanama

Juju my president,loved and will always be protected by the masses.
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Mar 8, 2012

MATHUKWANA

why Malema did join the Polokwane strike.He is afraid of his Friend Mathale.

malema pls stop interfering dilo tsa batho.
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Mar 8, 2012

RobinH

Opportunist!
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Mar 8, 2012

Haleretelakatse

This march was for workers,the retarded imbecile does not work for heaven's sake and what the fu&^%c&^k was he doing there
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Mar 8, 2012

ApelMankotsana

The one thing i like about Juju is that he has frankly, robustly and without fear raised very serious political issues of land redistribution and economic freedom but was expelled. Now the ANC in its draft dicussion policy document for the upcoming policy conference in June has raised the same issues and the ANC in that document acknowledges and agree that the "willing seller-willing buyer" concept has not worked...the ANC agree and acknowledge that the second phase of our revolution must be economic one....but yet Juju was persecuted for his stance on these issues...
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Mar 8, 2012

maneater

Zuma should have leant from his own history. if you expell a person you turn him into a hero. he himself did not have a huge support until he was expelled from govt.
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Mar 8, 2012

Memme

I quote "We are here to support a Cosatu march and the general secretary will address all of us. I am not going to speak for long because this is a Cosatu event"

Juju was there not to gain the support from the public but to support the strike as he is a South African citizan as well, Let's give credit where is due. And wether we like it or not Malema was born to be a leader, he did not study to be a leader which is why he is being loved by so many people. Haters will just have to sh!t themselves.
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Mar 8, 2012

Charley4sure

I love you Juju *No hormo*.
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Mar 8, 2012

Mosquer

RobinH
Opportunist!
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What about DA coz you were very jubilant that they will also join the strike
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