/ 24 April 2014

Nine times McKenzie burned Malema with his open letter

Gayton McKenzie
Gayton McKenzie

In his open letter, which has been widely supported and celebrated by the public on social media platforms, leader of the Patriotic Alliance Gayton McKenzie calls Julius Malema out on his lack of accountability and goes as far as to say that the Economic Freedom Fighters' commander-in-chief should go to prison.

While there have been criticisms against McKenzie's scathing letter, with some calling it ironic since Gayton himself is often frowned upon in the public eye for his criminal past, many people have also commended McKenzie for his honesty and succinctness in "nailing" Malema.

Did the words of McKenzie put Malema in the burns unit? Let's take a look at the top nine insults he dished out in his letter.

1. Bling – Confessions of a King: When Gayton called out Julius for saying that he wears flashy fashion to inspire the poor.

"We wear more money on our wrists than a miner at Marikana will ever hold in his hands. This week you had the audacity to say that you wear Louis Vuitton to "inspire" the poor. But the poor get nothing out of you wearing flashy clothes."

2. Shifty and not thrifty: When Gayton blasted Malema for his expenditure of public funds.

"You bankrupted Limpopo. You bankrupted yourself. Now you want to bankrupt what's left of South Africa. The difference between you and me is that you use politics to take money from the poor."

3. Exploitation-nation: When Gayton drew attention to Julius's EFF fund raising tendencies.

" … You immediately went to the poor with your cap in hand; promising them the world, when you needed their money to pay for your tax problems. You are like a man who steals a cellphone and then goes back to his victim to ask for airtime. "

4. Nationalisation is not standard grade: when Gayton slammed the whole nationalisation of the mines idea by comparing it to the subject Julius took in school.

"Nationalisation is not woodwork."

5. The prefect of disrespect: When Gayton wagged his finger at Julius for not respecting his elders.

"You insulted MaMbeki. You insulted Baba Buthelezi. You insulted Naledi Pandor. You had to apologise to all of them. Now you have insulted MaKhumalo, Jacob Zuma's first wife. She is a grandmother and you thought it funny to sexualise her and ask us to imagine her in a bathing suit. Is the only old woman who you respect your own grandmother in Seshego?"

6. Pick-a-pocket-or-two: When Gayton lashed out at Juju's habit of pointing his own thieving finger at other thieves:

"You get two kinds of politicians in this country: the ones who come from prison and those who must still go to prison. You belong to the latter. I may be an ex-thief, but you are a present-day thief. You, particularly you, cannot be calling all white people in this country thieves."

7. Mind your language: When Gayton schooled Julius on his word choice and what it means:

"I have a serious problem with you telling our young people that they must take the mines and take the land. All you can think of in your choice of language is, "Take, take and destroy." You are inculcating an attitude of taking instead of contributing and working. Our youth do not need that. No one needs that. Our youth need to be empowered educationally and financially to grow this country."

8. The superficial savior: When Gayton warned South Africa about Julius.

"You are the modern-day Nongqawuse. There was no one there in 1856 to warn our people against that false prophet. Somebody needs to have the courage to warn us against you. I'm not scared of you. But I am scared of what will happen to this country if our young people don't realise what you are before it is too late."

9. If Kenny can, you can: When Gayton suggested that Kenny Kunene left the EFF because Julius is a Commander-in-Thief and made us all wonder about those details:

"I wish Kenny would take South Africa into his confidence over the real reasons why he left EFF.