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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Julius Malema, less ANC firebrand, more placid farmer | Julius Malema, less ANC firebrand, more placid farmer |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| He was the young firebrand some feared would become South Africa's answer to Robert Mugabe and plunge the country into a race war. | He was the young firebrand some feared would become South Africa's answer to Robert Mugabe and plunge the country into a race war. |
| What a difference a year makes. Julius Malema, the demagogic former president of the youth league of the African National Congress is now more likely to be found praying for rain and cultivating cabbages than storming the barricades. | What a difference a year makes. Julius Malema, the demagogic former president of the youth league of the African National Congress is now more likely to be found praying for rain and cultivating cabbages than storming the barricades. |
| The enfant terrible of South African politics could be said to have joined the ranks of the white farmers he enraged by singing verses from Shoot the Boer. Notorious for his champagne lifestyle, fast cars and Breitling watch, Malema now says he has a humbler existence selling cabbages and tomatoes at the roadside. | The enfant terrible of South African politics could be said to have joined the ranks of the white farmers he enraged by singing verses from Shoot the Boer. Notorious for his champagne lifestyle, fast cars and Breitling watch, Malema now says he has a humbler existence selling cabbages and tomatoes at the roadside. |
| The 31-year-old's political obituary was being written on Tuesday after his former youth league comrades gave up trying to reverse his expulsion from the ANC for ill-discipline. | The 31-year-old's political obituary was being written on Tuesday after his former youth league comrades gave up trying to reverse his expulsion from the ANC for ill-discipline. |
| Last month's party conference, which ignored a plea from Malema for forgiveness, had been the "final arbiter in the matter", they conceded. | Last month's party conference, which ignored a plea from Malema for forgiveness, had been the "final arbiter in the matter", they conceded. |
| At the same conference the country's president, Jacob Zuma, whom Malema had declared would and should be toppled, proved his grip on the party was tighter than ever. | At the same conference the country's president, Jacob Zuma, whom Malema had declared would and should be toppled, proved his grip on the party was tighter than ever. |
| Malema and his allies have been swatted aside like an irritating blue bottle, at least for the foreseeable future. | Malema and his allies have been swatted aside like an irritating blue bottle, at least for the foreseeable future. |
| So where does the man who once led an "economic freedom march" to the gates of Johannesburg's stock exchange, and prompted newspapers to ask "Is Julius Malema South Africa's president in waiting?" likely to do with the rest of his life? | So where does the man who once led an "economic freedom march" to the gates of Johannesburg's stock exchange, and prompted newspapers to ask "Is Julius Malema South Africa's president in waiting?" likely to do with the rest of his life? |
| For the present, Malema is at a farm in Seshego, Limpopo province, a world away from fiery rabble rousing at the mines or in the commercial capital of Johannesburg. | For the present, Malema is at a farm in Seshego, Limpopo province, a world away from fiery rabble rousing at the mines or in the commercial capital of Johannesburg. |
| "Joburg is not my favourite place," Malema told the Mail & Guardian newspaper. "I like it on the farm. It's very nice. It's cool and quiet." | "Joburg is not my favourite place," Malema told the Mail & Guardian newspaper. "I like it on the farm. It's very nice. It's cool and quiet." |
| He elaborated: "On the farm we sit under the tree there, and there is nobody to judge you. Fighting with workers the whole day, 'Hey! Do this! … they'll laugh at you sometimes, 'He's going like God!' I love walking [here] by the cabbages and tomatoes, seeing them growing. That, to me, is an excitement. I've developed an absolute love for it. The farm labourers are ordinary people. There are no egos there, nothing." | He elaborated: "On the farm we sit under the tree there, and there is nobody to judge you. Fighting with workers the whole day, 'Hey! Do this! … they'll laugh at you sometimes, 'He's going like God!' I love walking [here] by the cabbages and tomatoes, seeing them growing. That, to me, is an excitement. I've developed an absolute love for it. The farm labourers are ordinary people. There are no egos there, nothing." |
| But Malema is facing trouble in paradise. South African authorities have said they will target his farm to offset his 16m rand (£1.13m) tax bill. He is also standing trial on 51 charges including racketeering, corruption and fraud arising from the awarding of tenders by the Limpopo government. | But Malema is facing trouble in paradise. South African authorities have said they will target his farm to offset his 16m rand (£1.13m) tax bill. He is also standing trial on 51 charges including racketeering, corruption and fraud arising from the awarding of tenders by the Limpopo government. |
| Once the darling of both national and international media, enjoying more coverage than the president himself, Malema recently lost his bodyguards and admitted that some friends no longer took his calls but treated him as if he had "leprosy". | Once the darling of both national and international media, enjoying more coverage than the president himself, Malema recently lost his bodyguards and admitted that some friends no longer took his calls but treated him as if he had "leprosy". |
| Malema was toying with a BlackBerry as he spoke to the Mail & Guardian. It did not ring. When the Guardian called his number on Tuesday he answered but said only, "I'm very busy, I'm very busy", before hanging up. | Malema was toying with a BlackBerry as he spoke to the Mail & Guardian. It did not ring. When the Guardian called his number on Tuesday he answered but said only, "I'm very busy, I'm very busy", before hanging up. |
| • This article was amended on 30 January to make it clear that Julius Malema was talking to the Mail & Guardian. The attribution was removed in the editing process | • This article was amended on 30 January to make it clear that Julius Malema was talking to the Mail & Guardian. The attribution was removed in the editing process |
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