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 Kill Lekota, rivals chant
    October 24 2008 at 07:18AM Get IOL on your
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By Xolani Mbanjwa and Sapa

Supporters of Jacob Zuma toyi-toyed and chanted "Kill Shilowa, kill Lekota" outside the Orange Farm venue where former ANC chair Terror Lekota was speaking at a public meeting.

Lekota and his supporters had to be escorted into and out of the venue.

Police formed a circle around the car of Lekota to allow him to leave as ANC members hurled insults at him and threatened to kill him.

Although Lekota was to address the meeting at 11.30am, his supporters were kept waiting for almost three hours as the ANC and Lekota groups were involved in a tense stand-off.

Lekota's supporters wore white and yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the former ANC chairperson's face and the words "South African National Congress".
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Inside the Orange Farm multipurpose centre, Lekota supporters waved placards reading: "Lekota save us from cruelty and looting" and "Lekota ready to govern".

ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte said : "(That was) a reaction from the community. The ANC did not organise it. That is our observation. All we can do is just to observe."

ANC Gauteng's spokesperson Nkenke Kekana, who was at the event but left early, accused Lekota's supporters of provoking the ruling party.

"His people provoked our members by tearing down posters of Jacob Zuma," he said.

Olga Lutu - who resigned as an ANC branch secretary this week - said she, too, had received death threats.

As she rushed to the armoured police vehicle with other Lekota supporters, Lutu said she feared for her life. "They say I must be killed. They want to murder me," she said.

Lekota told the crowd he expected ANC members to quit in "big numbers" in support of a breakaway party.

"The people will form their own party," Lekota said when asked whether he was saying a new opposition party would be formed.

Only a few hundred supporters of his plans to hold a national convention in Bloemfontein on November 2 showed up at the meeting at Orange Farm outside Vereeniging.

He blamed the low turnout at his rally on Thursday on intimidation. He preached tolerance, saying his supporters should not retaliate.

"If they say you are dogs, don't call them dogs. Those of you who were in the ANC and have T-shirts of the ANC, you must not burn them," he said.

Many in the audience wore yellow T-shirts imprinted with Lekota's photograph and the words "South African National Congress".

The back of the T-shirts, sported the words "Ready to govern and Save South Africa from tyranny".

Lekota urged his supporters to exercise restraint towards their opponents.

"We must not allow throwing stones, don't throw stones back. If they go and burn someone's house, don't go and burn their house," he said.

"We must protect the rights of other political formations and parties. We must protect the right to hold meetings, to talk to people."

Lekota warned of "dangerous elements" in the ANC and referred to ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, who has said he is willing to kill for ANC president Zuma.

The group of Zuma supporters carrying posters announcing his visit to Soweto on November 2 - the same day of Lekota's convention - also sang the ANC president's trademark song Umshini wami.

Ousted Congress of SA Trade Unions president Willie Madisha said the protesters had been organised to disrupt the public meeting and cause violence.

"Unless something is done, we are going to get involved in very serious violence in this country," Madisha said.

"We have got to say that this is wrong. We cannot allow this type of thing."

Lekota supporters carried posters with slogans, including "Bring back ANC from warlords", "Malema a danger to democracy", "We are not dogs, we only hate crime and corruption".

At least 30 posters with pictures of Zuma had been put up on the fence outside the venue.

Ally Mosina, 30, who attended the Lekota meeting, said he did not mind the Zuma posters because South Africa was a multi-party democracy.

"This is not about Terror Lekota," Mosina said. "It's about us, as sober-minded comrades who want to defend the gains we've made, we want to defend the Constitution."

The main reason for anger at the ANC leadership elected at Polokwane in December was their decision to remove former president Thabo Mbeki from office, Mosina said.

"That decision was taken over a bottle of whisky and a few cigars.

"They should have consulted the ANC branches. It is not a shebeen that they are running here."

Lekota was among a string of cabinet ministers who resigned in loyalty to Mbeki when the ANC national executive committee decided to axe him.

He has criticised the new ANC leadership for deviating from ANC policies and suggesting a political solution to the fraud and corruption charges Zuma faced.

Zuma supporter Wilfred Malapane said Lekota was a "fat cat" who wanted to hold onto power.

"They think we are stupid. To hell with them, they are not welcome here," said Malapane.

"They always want to be in power, they always want to remain fat cats, they are trying to destroy the ANC."

Madisha, Shilowa and former defence minister Mluleki George have thrown their weight behind Lekota, who is expected to launch a party on December 16.

Meanwhile, Sapa reports that ANC Women's League president Angie Motshekga will not apologise for her "dogs" statement.

She had not intended to offend anyone, the ANC said on Thursday.

Referring to dissidents led by Lekota, Motshekga said on Monday: "Now that the dogs are leaving, there will be peace and we will be stronger.

"The dogs arrived in the ANC and they have left."

ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu said on Thursday that Motshekga would not be making an apology.

"Angie Motshekga, the president of the ANC Women's League, did not intend to offend anyone when she said the ANC did not go to the dogs.

"All she was saying after the resignations of some former ANC leaders is that the ANC is still intact - and therefore this does not warrant any apology to the UDM or any other opposition party."



    • This article was originally published on page 1 of Cape Times on October 24, 2008
Showing page 1 of 7 comment pages, 67 total comments
56 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
I AM VOTING FOR THE ANC!!! LEkota aint no different. He is just a sour pu** who is sulking just coz hiz God MBEKI lost... These people think they were born to be in power and dont wanna give other people a chance...aargh plz man give us a break... Lekota dont be fooled by the people who are interested in hearing your jubberish...the streets is watching you... We dont believe the hype and we dont believe you got anything different to offer!!! id rather vote for D.A than you...
56 Weeks ago Robert wrote :
I have been following the news closely.Zuma is a dictator in a sheep skin. Everytime He pseak on national TV i wish i could learn and increase my vocabulary, but he does not build me. He talks on national tv and keep saying for example like he is talking to his children. Deliver the message, answer the questions like a leader and make a mark. Yes indeed, what hapopened to the Forthare student leaders with their law qualifications? I support Lekota coz am hungry for change and intelligent leadership of Mbeki. He had his fallouts but He is still my president. The ANC accuse Mbeki of the crime they are guilty of committing. Good luck Lekota and Shilowa, hope you do us proud.
56 Weeks ago Mahlo SM (Polokwane) wrote :
I have voted for ANC in the last 3 elections but this time around the ANC will kiss my vote goobye.The new ANC NEC is full of holigans and greedy individual who are only interested in lining their pockets. I am busy mobilising my entire family and friends to vote for Lekota et al. Viva terror Viva. You are guaranteed my vote.
56 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
The fat cats are just "polokwane bad losers". Let them form their so-called party and leave the ANC alone. The people want to know what their party will do for them NOT what the ANC didn't do right. Anyway, who in their right frame of mind would want Terror "Freedom Charter" Lekota as their president?
56 Weeks ago Freddie wrote :
Lekota is under a very much misguided impression if thinks that the people will support him and his motley crew of fat cats in massesate. He does not even enjoy in Free State that much support. It is only with the help of the media that he receives some prominence. Come election day and he will rue the errors of his misguided ways.
56 Weeks ago V.O. wrote :
I am a descent black woman who is still categorised as youth. I caNOT be led by Julius Malema who cannot even have a well-thought conversation and/or opinion on national & global issues. I cannot be led by Zuma either who seems not to have any views of his own except those of the ANC. The man still needs to go to court and if he is not guilty as he claims, why is it that he refuses to prove his innocence. I have always voted for the ANC but next year I am making a statement and I am saying NO to the bullying we have been subjected to, NO to voter undermining and my decision is not necessarily because I support Mbeki but because the ANC is taking us for granted, they have no respect for voters, are rude and are a threat to our democracy. We must all say no more to 2/3 majority enough is enough. I am influencing my rural community in the EC to vote against....Bazonya!!!
56 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
Murena I believe this country needs change and any one will agree however the question is who will lead Azania through that periode of change?
56 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
the anc has been fighting for freedom since the day it started, now they threaten to kill people because their views are different???its called freedom to choose,freedom to vote for whom you want! in a first world country competition is viewed as healthy..it makes each party lift their game..what the hell is going on here, are we gonna end up like Zimbabwe? If this carries on I fear the worst! If this is what the anc is about im definately voting for Lekota.
56 Weeks ago zobz wrote :
it is clear that the anc is thretened by lekota and shilowa.if they were not they should just ignore them,instead they insult them them without puttiong facts and lekota is puttingt facts forward.They are exposind themselves in the process that the are not competent to lead this country if they make all these stupit comments and contradictory comments.Mbeki is not stupid he will not campaign for them he is still waiting for that public debate where he will expose their styupidity further
56 Weeks ago Sibusiso wrote :
I understand, why pople are fuming about ANC and Lekota which is the democratic right as SA. Lekota lives ANC because he was showing loyalty to Thabo Mabeki instead of being loyal to the organisation. My question is that at what capacity is Mr. Lekota calling those meetings? We heard that those people who were throwing their membership card in bins are not members of the ANC, their membership has expired. What I would like to outline is that people must calm down and wait for 2009 election results. My appeal to the ANC, go to your drawing board, come up with trategies that will help us win the coming election. Sibusiso Mathonsi Ukzn (Edgewood)

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