Julius Malema should learn to shut the f**k up.

I am not one prone to the indiscriminate use of profanity. In fact, those who know me well will tell you that I rarely descend to this sort of level. But Julius’ ability to spew out the most outlandish statements has reduced my I.Q to levels I didn’t think possible. This is my excuse for the title of this blog. The problem with listening to some of the things that he says leaves one even stupider for having heard them. For that, he should not be forgiven. The things he says not only defy logic, but stupidity too. He over compensates for his lack of intellectual curiosity with his bellicose statements, which he mistakes for coherence.

Perhaps the silent permission he has been granted by his elders is to blame. It’s about time the ANC gagged him. He is dangerous not only for the ANC but for the nation. Surely the ANC recognises this, even if it’s reluctant to say it in public. If anyone needs to be recalled as president it is Julius Malema.

The sort of dangerous and frightening statements he is reported to have said on October 27 could lead this nation to genocide. To quote The Times on line, “Under Mbeki, the resources of the country were distributed to certain individuals and a certain tribe,” he said, alluding to Mbeki’s Xhosa heritage. “Not everyone benefited. But under [ANC president Jacob] Zuma we expect everyone to benefit.”

This sort of blanket statement said without an iota of evidence has the ability to incite the people of this nation into an unnecessary blood bath. Of all the things we have had the misfortune of hearing from Malema, this has to be the most dangerous, therefore it should be the most unacceptable. All senior members of the ANC should condemn this incitement of tribalism in the strongest possible terms instead of closing ranks around him, which is their reflexive reaction.

If, as he so claims, that only a certain tribe benefited when Thabo Mbeki was president, can he explain to us why the Eastern Cape is still the poorest province in the country? The richest black man in the country by his thinking should be from the Eastern Cape or the Western Cape for that matter. In fact, the wealthiest black people in this country should be from the Cape provinces.

If he is talking about the leadership within the ANC he should apply some logic, something he seems to be in short supply of. I shall help him along because we cannot continue watching him make a complete buffoon of himself.

The Eastern Cape is the ANC’s biggest province by membership, and has been for the longest time. Naturally, the vast majority of people elected into leadership positions would be from that part of the world by virtue of the Eastern Cape having the greatest number of the party’s supporters. Add the Western Cape to that number. For years, large sections of KwaZulu-Natal voted IFP. Thus the vote from that part of the world was split between the ANC and the IFP. The consequence of this is that the leadership will show a slightly disproportionate Cape slant. One does not need to be a brain surgeon to make these deductions. In fact, one does not even need a matric.

No one has single-handedly driven young black intelligentsia from the ANC with greater ferocity than young Julius Malema. I don’t understand how and why he is allowed to carry on speaking. The more Jacob Zuma, Matthew Phosa, Cyril Ramaphosa, Pallo Jordan and Gwede Mntashe allow him to speak, the greater the damage he causes the ANC. The more I try to give the ANC a chance the more he drives me away.

Every young person in this country is responsible for Julius Malema’s loud mouth. We have been silent. We do not condemn him because people are too worried about limiting their futures, in case they get blacklisted from getting government jobs or tenders. How pitiful! There isn’t enough outrage among the youth.

A few weeks ago, he was on Kaya FM. I was astonished by ANCYL president Julius Malema’s assertions that being a youth somehow earned him the right to be impetuous, belligerent and disrespectful. I must politely disagree (although I must admit I am tempted to disagree impolitely) with the man. Youth does not give one a free pass for foolhardiness, disrespect and impulsiveness just as maturity in years does not give one the automatic right to wisdom, level-headedness and patience.

There is no doubt that the ANC will win the next election. But at what future cost? The cost of driving out the young thinkers? What will happen to the ANC when it has a shortage of thinkers?

The ANC has descended into anti intellectualism and ideological incoherence with the likes of Julius Malema. Every single young person in this country ought to be embarrassed by him.

We cannot allow Malema’s mouth to ruin this country.