Luphert Chilwane
24 November 2009
Johannesburg — IN AN apparent reference to controversial African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema, legal luminary George Bizos said yesterday young people needed to learn to be moderate and not use violence or abusive language when addressing issues.
He refused to be drawn into the row over a racial slur made by Malema at the weekend against South African Communist Party general secretary Jeremy Cronin over the nationalisation of mines.
"Young people must learn to use moderate language, not racist or violent language," said Bizos, speaking in Johannesburg at the Mandela Inaugural Colloquium to celebrate Mandela's humanity. "It would not help to say a particular group is racist. We must not use extravagant language," he said.
In his attack on Cronin, Malema said the league did not "need the permission of white political messiahs to think".
Bizos said political leaders such as Nelson Mandela (a former ANCYL president), Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu played a vital role in uniting people. "Mandela managed to get the majority of (white) Afrikaners into supporting democracy in this country. He made it his business that there should be a nonracial ... but a democratic SA where no group is afraid of another."
Bizos said it was not necessary to condemn people who had done good things for SA. "Describing people as antirevolutionists does not help and if we start throwing eggs around, more people (would get hurt)."
He said some people cared more about issues while others cared less, "and we must avoid the danger of generalisation". Too much media attention was given to people who did not deserve it.
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