JOHANNESBURG - Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema believes he still has a role to play in the ANC, despite being expelled from the party in June.
Malema has hogged headlines in recent weeks, for his addresses to striking miners in the Gauteng and North West provinces as well as to members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Malema was expelled following comments he made about President Jacob Zuma’s “dictating” leadership and has since been vocal on his criticism of the ANC president and the ruling party’s attempts to “silence him”.
He has further eluded to plans to have him killed, saying he received “credible” information from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as well as three unrelated sources.
“They told us that there is an instruction that if [an] arrest is not possible due to a lack of sufficient evidence, they may consider taking our lives.”
On Tuesday, the former ANCYL leader said Zuma would be to blame if he was to be killed or arrested in the coming weeks.
Malema told Talk Radio 702 on Wednesday that he regretted his role in persuading members to elect Zuma as president.
“That time we made a very terrible mistake to commit our lives on an individual. It’s a regrettable mistake that we shouldn’t repeat.”
But the former youth leader said he had not yet given up on the ANC.
“I learned one thing throughout this process: Never rely on an individual in a revolution, but instead rely on the collective and the wisdom of the organisation.
“Structures of the ANC still welcome me."
In the wide-ranging interview, Malema said he was expelled from the mother body because several leaders did not want him to be part of the crucial Mangaung meeting in December, where ANC delegates will elect new national leaders.
“I got booted out by those who felt threatened by my presence in the organisation… they thought my presence threatens their re-election in Mangaung.
“Once they get re-elected, or they’re not re-elected, we’ll still be welcomed back in the organisation.”
Malema was referring to himself and his suspended former colleagues Sindiso Magaqa and Floyd Shivambu.
Malema said he had not been informed by the Hawks or Public Protector Thuli Madonsela about looming arrests related to tax evasion and tender fraud allegations.
He said he heard about the arrests from media reports.
Meanwhile, a discussion about economic freedom led to Malema comparing presenter John Robbie to government under the apartheid regime.
He accused Robbie of arguing that black people did not have the capacity to run a successful and economically viable country.
(Edited by Thato Motaung)