In these distressingly unusual times, it’s deeply reassuring to see familiar things. And they don’t get more familiar than a good, old-fashioned hypocritical about-turn from the king of the brazen flip-flop, Julius Malema.
Of course, not all of the EFF leader’s flip-flops have been quite as cynical or potentially lethal as the one he’s just performed. But still, it’s good to see the old hypocrite back at work.
For some time now, the party has been rock solid in its opposition to the local government elections taking place in October because, the party insists, it will be too dangerous to campaign or vote in a country in which Covid-19 is still rampant.
“We reiterate our call, despite our own readiness, for the 2021 elections to be postponed in the interest of saving millions of lives,” the EFF told a media briefing last Thursday.
“The duty to preserve lives is the highest of duties. People must be alive before they can vote and be voted for.”
An extra two years would give Malema and his fellow high priests more than enough time to do an Obi-Wan Kenobi on their followers, murmuring: 'These are not the looted VBS funds you are looking for.'
You can’t get clearer than that.
Of course, some cynics might suggest the EFF has ulterior motives for wanting to move October’s polls to coincide with the general election in 2024. An extra two years would give Malema and his fellow high priests more than enough time to do an Obi-Wan Kenobi on their followers, murmuring: “These are not the looted VBS funds you are looking for.”
More importantly, in two years the spectre of Covid-19 will (hopefully) have retreated, allowing a return to in-person politics and all the parliamentary interruptions, staged fist fights and thrown chairs the EFF needs to stay relevant and attractive to its core base.
This, however, is speculation. So let’s stick with the fact that on June 10 the party’s official position was crystal clear: minimising Covid-19 infections is the “highest of duties”.
Less than a week later, however, those high ideals disappeared in the thunderous slapping noise of an epic flip-flop as Malema suddenly realised it’s very, very important to expose people to Covid-19 if he’s going to stay employed.
Cue a real, live, in-the-flesh June 16 rally, as Malema explained the plan to the soon-to-be-infected.
My guess is that, after some soul-searching, the EFF remembered an even higher duty: the continued enrichment of Julius Malema, regardless of who gets sick and dies in the process.
From now on, he announced, “we don’t comply with nonsense [President Cyril Ramaphosa] says about the coronavirus until he gives us vaccine and vaccinates our people”.
Just in case any of his followers thought they were going to be able to chicken out of maximum exposure to the virus, say, by refusing to comply with Ramaphosa from the safety of their homes, Malema had an even better plan: a “sleep-in” at the home of the CEO of the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
“It is personal like that,” Malema explained, adding that the sleep-in would go on “at his house until vaccines are provided by this government”.
Now I’m no virologist, but if I were to spitball the best way to create a superspreader event, I can’t do much better than dozens of angry EFF supporters, all refusing to wear masks or keep their distance from each other (as per instructions from Great Leader), congregating at a suburban house every night for weeks on end.
So what happened to that “highest of duties”?
My guess is that, after some soul-searching, the EFF remembered an even higher duty: the continued enrichment of Julius Malema, regardless of who gets sick and dies in the process.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.