POLL | Is it fair to judge Julius Malema for his style?

Julius Malema took to social media to share glamorous photos of himself and his wife as they prepared to indulge in the extravagance of the Durban July festivities.
Julius Malema took to social media to share glamorous photos of himself and his wife as they prepared to indulge in the extravagance of the Durban July festivities.
Image: Julius Malema/X

EFF leader Julius Malema's expensive shoes he wore to the Durban July at the weekend have been the talk of the town, with some people questioning whether his lifestyle is a betrayal of his political ideology.

Malema shared photos of himself and his wife Mantoa looking glamorous on Saturday. He wore Corteo on Spikes Oxford shoes by Christian Louboutin which cost about R27,970.

While some applauded him for his style, there were people who expressed unhappiness about the price of his shoes. Some believed Malema wearing expensive shoes was not a reflection of the EFF's claims about representing and fighting for the poor.

Over the years Malema has addressed debates about his style. In 2019 he told journalists he was unapologetic about wearing expensive clothes.

“Louboutin, Gucci. I have worn it before, but I don't wear it now. I make no apology about it. I don’t buy it with VBS Mutual Bank money. No-one can tell me what to wear and not to wear. I make no apology. What I wear and what I do not wear does not influence my political consciousness and commitment to the revolution,” he said.

People who defended Malema said his detractors do not talk about the charity work he has done over the years and want to tarnish his name.

Last year Malema led the EFF as the party refurbished the Mogalakwena hospice and rehabilitation centre in Limpopo which suffered from water scarcity. The party installed a borehole which the centre’s manager Christinah Mokonyama described as a saving grace for the elderly. She told TimesLIVE for five years the centre relied on a communal tap for water supply which sometimes ran dry for days.

“The Mokopane region is a water-scarce area and we sometimes go for days without a supply. We could spend about R2,000 a day buying water to ensure the 130 patients have water to bathe and take medication and for us to cook. I am happy with what the party has done for us because we have our own tap water,” she said.

In 2015 Limpopo was among five provinces declared by government to be drought disaster areas.

Aside from the borehole, the EFF installed showers and safety rails on ramps, changed old doors and painted the shelters.

TimesLIVE


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