Floyd flayed after his attack on Ramaphosa

In a scathing article in weekend newspapers, ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu questioned Ramaphosa's motives for upholding Malema's guilty verdict and accused him of sacrificing his principles for political power.

In a scathing article in weekend newspapers, ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu questioned Ramaphosa's motives for upholding Malema's guilty verdict and accused him of sacrificing his principles for political power.

Published Apr 17, 2012

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The ANC has defended the integrity of the chairman of its national disciplinary committee of appeals, Cyril Ramaphosa, after he was accused of bias in the case of Julius Malema and his fellow youth league leaders.

In a scathing article in weekend newspapers, ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu questioned Ramaphosa’s motives for upholding Malema’s guilty verdict and accused him of sacrificing his principles for political power.

Reacting to the attack, party spokesman Jackson Mthembu issued a statement on Monday saying the ANC was “appalled at the crude, uncouth, disrespectful and insulting attack” on Ramaphosa.

“This attack is both mischievous and disingenuous and smacks of ill-discipline,” said Mthembu.

Shivambu wrote that Ramaphosa had ignored principle in ruling against the youth league leader in his first disciplinary appeal and suggested this had to do with reported attempts by “a faction in the ANC” to win the party heavyweight’s support with the promise that he would be made deputy president.

Shivambu said: “Certain facts and recent developments shed light on what could be the basis of ignoring principle.

“The fact that a faction in the ANC has promised him the position of deputy president, which he so dearly wanted in 1994, could be one of the reasons why he took such a stance,” wrote Shivambu.

Mthembu hit back, saying Ramaphosa had never discussed being on a list of any ANC faction.

“The branches of the ANC have not started to discuss nominations and therefore there is no truth that Comrade Cyril is appearing on any list.

“This exists in the warped imagination of the likes of Floyd,” he said.

Mthembu also rejected outright claims that President Jacob Zuma had influenced the disciplinary processes.

Shivambu’s comments – directed at the person who is to rule on the fate of Malema, youth league secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa and himself in their appeal against their sentences – echoed the league’s defiance of the ANC in declaring on Sunday that Malema would continue as its president despite the party’s national disciplinary committee prohibiting him from doing so.

The three are scheduled to submit written presentations to Ramaphosa’s committee tomorrow in their latest appeal bid.

Mthembu said it was disingenuous of Shivambu to single out one person and blame him for a decision taken by the committee.

“This is tantamount to saying other members of the team are dwarfs, useless, sheepish followers who do not apply their minds,” said Mthembu.

“This in itself is an insult to the members of the NDCA and their integrity as leaders of the ANC in their own right.”

Mthembu said the “senseless attack” on Ramaphosa reflected the idea that there were people in the ANC who were “untouchable” and above the organisation and its constitution.

He said Shivambu was a serial offender with a history of ill-discipline.

“It is not surprising that he left the Young Communist League on the verge of being charged,” said Mthembu.

“He is currently facing serious charges within the ANC. Clearly we are dealing with a serial offender who continues to bring shame and disgrace to the broader democratic movement.”

Last year, Shivambu, Malema and other league leaders appealed to Ramaphosa’s committee after they were found guilty of various breaches of the ANC constitution.

The committee upheld the guilty verdicts, but sent the matter back to the national disciplinary committee for mitigation.

Malema’s sentence was then increased to expulsion and it is this sentence he is appealing with Ramaphosa’s committee.

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Political Bureau

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