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Julius Malema during the memorial service at Marikana. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE.

A group of men wielding umbrellas and knobkieries stormed into the marquee tent after former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema addressed the mourners. 23/08/2012

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Many political leaders, including former ANCYL president Julius Malema, are using the shooting at Lonmin’s Marikana mine to destabilise Cosatu, the union federation said on Friday.

“Suddenly politicians, far removed from the reality workers face... are suddenly positioning themselves opportunistically as the champions of the rock drill operators,” Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi told reporters in Johannesburg.

“Their latest recruit is former ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema, a wealthy, essentially right wing leader, who demagogically exploits any perceived weakness to encourage workers to leave their union, their only means of defence.” 

Vavi said Malema knew Cosatu had its own weaknesses, but it never hid them away.

He said a true revolutionary would not tell workers to form splinter unions and become “naked” without the trade federation.

Cosatu leader Sdumo Dlamini said the memorial service in Wonderkop on Thursday was an “engineered plan” by Malema to insult his “perceived opponents”.

“Julius must stop what he is doing, it is not helping him and it is not helping nobody...

"It will ferment divisions in society just because he is expelled from the ANC."

Dlamini also questioned the morals of political parties who tried to "cash-in" on the shooting.

Comments

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Fri May 24 15:43:20 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 24, 2012

DJ-Winner

ha ha ha...you are all useless. I can't wait for Juju's responce on this...it's like a freak show....ha ha ha...
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Aug 24, 2012

ndaa

Thats true my president.
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Aug 24, 2012

MommaC

Vavi.
The old adage about pots and kettles comes to mind.
And where where you when NUM was making a dogs breakfast of the situation?
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Aug 24, 2012

ndaa

sorry for the previus msg...someone just came write on my wall
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Aug 24, 2012

tpaz

viva Juju.....man of the people.
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Aug 24, 2012

Tsar-Rasputin

Cosatu, ya Nye#####
It has failed us as workers who have affiliate to it, Last year or two years back they bought expensive furniture, with boardrooms fit for capitalist.

They dont care about us, yes Julius is a politician, may be he does not care about us also but I prefer him as opposed to Cosatu, Communists and shawara
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Aug 24, 2012

ndaa

Do you know that Julius is the most young famous pilitician in SA?
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Aug 24, 2012

Papage

I was not aware that Juju is a polititian, at last Vavi opened his mouth and is blaiming other people, lets talk about wages, that is the one that killed miners, forget Juju, you were suppose to reprsent these people, how far are you Vavi or are you also involved in the sharing of workers wealth?
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Aug 24, 2012

RobinH

Oh my, Mr Vavi. And what are you doing with this speech if not exactly what they are doing. You guys really insult the people of this country by thinking we buy this rubbish.

Tpaz. Why bother to do the viva. We see your name and we know what will follow.
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Aug 24, 2012

ngutha

Juju is doing exactly what Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma are doing. That is using the masses as a political ticket to power and wealth.

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