ZANU PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa has criticized South African opposition leader Julius Malema for commenting on Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.
On Monday, Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, urged Zimbabwean youths to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration and block his bid for a third term.
During a press briefing at the ZANU PF headquarters in Harare on Thursday, August 8, Mutsvangwa said Malema should stay out of Zimbabwe’s issues and focus on resolving problems in South Africa. He remarked:
“Malema presents himself as a revolutionary and intellectual, but he lacks proper educational credentials. He has grand ideas about how Zimbabwe should be governed, as if it were his own country.”
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Mutsvangwa compared Malema to Cecil Rhodes, describing him as suffering from “Rhodes Syndrome.” He explained that Rhodes, a colonial figure, built an empire in South Africa and had ambitious dreams from Cape to Cairo.
Mutsvangwa emphasized that there are clear boundaries between Zimbabwe and South Africa, asserting that Julius Malema has no right to meddle in Zimbabwe’s internal matters. He said:
“If Malema is so skilled at leadership, he should prove it by succeeding in his own country. Why does he want to dictate who should lead Zimbabwe? We tell him to keep his hands off Zimbabwe’s affairs and focus on winning elections in South Africa. Boundaries exist for a reason.”
