Members statement by Koos van der Merwe MP, Inkatha Freedom, National Assembly, Parliament, Cape Town, September 20 2011:

MR MALEMA AND THE ANC'S LACK OF LEADERSHIP

Mr Speaker:

It is becoming clearer by the day that the ANC is torn into at least two belligerent factions and that the leadership has become incapable of leading. The ANC's fractured leadership appears to be totally paralyzed in dealing with its Youth League.

Mr Malema and his supporters openly make a mockery of the ANC leadership.

They misbehave, some of them act like hooligans; they openly defy the Rule of Law; they arrogantly commit contempt of Court; they ridicule the ANC leadership; they scare off international investors by threatening with nationalization; they insult white South Africans as thieves and they act as if they, themselves, rule South Africa.

The worst of it all is that the ANC's fractured leadership has become powerless. This raises the question: who is the Boss in South Africa: Mr Malema or Mr Zuma?

What is really bad news is that South Africans at large are at the receiving end of all of this. The ANC leadership paralysis is harming our economy; it allows our international image to be tarnished; it allows our Judiciary to be ridiculed; it allows white citizens to be insulted and it allows for a dangerous culture to grow within our country.

It is time for decisive action, for strong leadership, which unfortunately the ANC does not have. As the late Honourable Kader Asmal once said, "We do not need more leaders, we need more leadership."

We are indeed facing a dark future.

Issued by the IFP, September 20 2011

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