Pretoria - ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said on Friday that the recent 2010 Soccer World Cup was an "imperialistic activity" by which people exploited the country's resources.
However, Malema, who was welcoming the organising committee of the 17th World Festival for Youth and Students, said he did not have a problem with it.
Malema made the comments while explaining that South Africa could successfully host major events.
"We know it was an imperialistic activity (by) which the people came here to exploit the resources of our country. It is no problem," he said.
The youth festival is expected to draw 30 000 people from 150 countries.
Economic struggle
Malema again pointed out that ANCYL's struggle was an economic struggle. The youth league was demanding economic freedom.
"We have come to appreciate that our struggle now is an economic struggle. The majority of people do not benefit anything from the mineral resources of this country.
"We are one rich country when it comes to mineral resources, but the resources continue to benefit the imperialists and colonisers."
The youth league had committed itself to change the current economic patterns because failure to do so would "lead to our people engaging in the second revolution against ourselves", Malema said.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/World-Cup-imperialistic-Malema-20101015