Julius Malema en sy stryd met die media, 2008-2013: Die aanloop tot die stigting van die EVV

Abstract

From 2008 to 2013 Julius Malema was figuring strongly in the spotlight of the South African and later on also the international media. It was particularly as ANC youth leader (since April 2008)
that Malema’s controversial utterances and verbose rhetoric attracted the attention of the media. It was newspapers such as City Press and Rapport that Malema highlighted as newspapers that were openly targeting him. Throughout South Africa Malema was one of the foremost newsmakers and his unrestraint and unpredictability would resound throughout the world. Few South African newspapers would refrain from giving prominence to Malema. He would later on become an embarrassment for the ANC and disciplinary action against him was inevitable. He sharply criticised ANC opponents, judges and high officials, international leaders, neighbouring countries, sports leaders and even ANC ministers and he often used racially inspired rhetoric. Naturally Malema and the media would cross swords about this and the impetuous youth leader would continuously be in the crossfire of the media. In this article emphasis is placed on a few of the most important moments of the political career of Malema from 2008 to 2013 when he established his own party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). This article mainly focuses on the ongoing fight against the South African media, while a number of the viewpoints of the international media will also be highlighted. It was especially the media who was to a large extent fierce in their criticism that eventually caused Malema’s dismissal from the ANC.