South Africa: Julius Malema Stokes Fires of Unrest

September 07, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Striking miners in South Africa are still refusing to go back to work. The almost month-long stoppage at a platinum mine in Marikana is also hurting the country's President Jacob Zuma politically. His party presidency will be challenged later this year at the African National Congress's national conference. But, expelled ANC youth league leader Julius Malema is using the current atmosphere of discontent to gain political mileage against Zuma. Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from Johannesburg.

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Julius Malema

Julius Sello Malema is a South African politician, and the former president of the African National Congress Youth League. Malema occupies a notably controversial position in South African public and political life; having risen to prominence with his support for African Natio... Explore this topic

Marikana miners' strike

The Marikana miners' strike or Lonmin strike was a wildcat strike at a mine owned by Lonmin in the Marikana area, close to Rustenburg, South Africa in 2012. The event garnered international attention following a series of violent incidents between the South African Police Serv... Explore this topic

South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It is divided into nine provinces and has 2,798 kilometres of coastline. To the north lie the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mo... Explore this topic

Jacob Zuma

Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election. Zuma is the President of the African National Congress, the governing political party, and was Deputy President of South Africa from 19... Explore this topic

African National Congress (ANC)

The African National Congress is South Africa's governing political party, supported by its Tripartite Alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party, since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itse... Explore this topic

Politics of South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a unitary, presidential republic. The President of South Africa serves both as head of state and as head of government - in the same manner as prime ministers of other nations, the President is elected by the National Assembly and must enjoy the... Explore this topic

Strike

Strike action, also called labor strike, on strike, greve, or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the Industrial Revolution, when mas... Explore this topic

Mining industry of South Africa

Mining in South Africa has been the main driving force behind the history and development of Africa's most advanced and richest economy. Large scale and profitable mining started with the discovery of a diamond on the banks of the Orange River in 1867 by Erasmus Jacobs and the... Explore this topic

Shooting

Shooting is the act or process of firing firearms or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets, and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman. Shooting can take place in a shooting range ... Explore this topic

ANC Youth League

The African National Congress Youth League is the youth wing of the African National Congress. Explore this topic

Also See

Julius Malema

Marikana miners' strike

South Africa

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