Malema must back up his claims with evidence

Julius Malema needs to back up his claims that he instructed lawyers to de-register him as a director of four companies with Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO) with evidence to that effect; specifically, he needs to explain how and why his signature was forged, if that is indeed the case.

If there is some conspiracy against Malema, as he and his lawyers seem to intimate, then he needs to substantiate that claim; because while it is perfectly possible for the ANCYL to fabricate the wildest fantasies at the drop of a hat, it is more difficult for the South African people to understand why it is that the country's leading media houses, CIPRO, the former Limpopo Premier and whichever other ‘forces of darkness' have all joined forces against him in such a comprehensive and all encompassing manner.

In other words, if Malema is to be believed, we are witnessing a plot of grand proportions being played out in public and every time something happens, the list of people involved seems to get longer while the excuses get weaker. Malema needs to stop shifting responsibility and come clean, for once and for all, he needs to lay the facts bare for everyone to see.

The allegations in the media have been backed up with evidence from CIPRO records which show that Malema is currently a director of four companies including SGL Engineering Projects, 101 JunJus Trading, Blue Nightingale Trading 61 and Ever Roaring Investments. Reports say that SGL Engineering Projects in particular profited from R140m in tender contracts from cash strapped municipalities in Limpopo.  

This contradicts Malema's statement that: "Since my election as President of the ANC Youth League in 2008, I instructed my Lawyers to process my resignations from all the corporations and companies I was involved in when I was based in Limpopo Province. I issued the instruction because I vowed to dedicate all my time to serve and give undivided attention to the ANC Youth League as a full time President."

City Press has reported that CIPRO records show Malema became the owner and director of SGL Engineering when it was converted from a CC to a private company in early May 2009 but this was long after Malema was elected president.

Malema also accuses City Press of forging his signature on CIPRO documents which state that he is still the director of SGL Engineering. If this is the case then he should embark on legal action. But by suing City Press he will have to provide proof in a court of law that what he says is true. His inability to produce any evidence to date no doubt explains his hesitancy in taking legal action.

Malema has a lot to answer to if he is still a director of these companies, particularly SGL Engineering. The press has reported that some projects awarded to this company, which involved building bridges, were so sub-standard that they had been washed away within weeks of construction. Reports also claim that some workers hired by SGL Engineering have not been paid for their services.

The ANCYL has in the past berated capitalists for controlling the country's wealth, but reports indicate that Malema used his share of the profits from the companies he owns to finance two luxury homes, together worth about R4,6-million.

With Malema's denials no longer holding water, its time the ANC conducted a thorough investigation into Malema's business dealings and hold him to account.

Statement issued by Khume Ramulifho, Democratic Alliance national youth spokesperson, March 2 2010

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