Johannesburg - African National Congress Youth League members danced, sang and blew vuvuzelas in support of their president Julius Malema outside the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday night
They intended holding a vigil outside Luthuli House ahead of Malema and ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu's disciplinary hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The cowards are scared, we must shoot... shoot with a gun... Viva Juju viva,” more than 70 ANCYL members sang as they marched through the streets to Luthuli House.
Some of them carried placards denouncing everything from capitalism to Botswana President Ian Khama.
“We say no to a military base in our continent that is under USA control. Ian Khama - the puppet - an insult to Africa. Viva Julius Malema,” read a placard.
“Please comrades (Congress of South African Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima) Vavi, (South African Communist Party general secretary Blade) Nzimande, (ANC secretary general Gwede) Mantashe, we need constructive politics. I will die for Julius... The people will govern,” read another.
Last week, the ANC announced that Malema and Shivambu would face disciplinary hearings on charges of bringing the party into disrepute and sowing division.
Malema recently said the ANCYL would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change, as it believed the government there was “in full co-operation with imperialists” and was undermining the “African agenda”.
More than 200 police officers were deployed around Luthuli House on Monday night, and roads around the building were closed to traffic to make way for supporters.
A team of sound engineers set up a microphone and speakers so that supporters' message would be “strengthened”.
“Eish, we are just starting, this is going to go on for the whole night,” said one of the engineers, who asked not to be named.
An ANCYL member said the turnout was small because it was a week night.
“Most people are at work, or are tired at the end of the day. Tomorrow the crowd might get bigger. We just have to wait and see,” she said. She also asked not to be named.
Police outside Luthuli House said roads in the area would be closed all through Monday night, and possibly the whole of Tuesday.
The ANCYL members were joined by protesting Vodacom employees.
“Our protest has just started and this is a good chance for both causes to be heard. We are joining this (vigil) because Malema is against capitalism,” said an unnamed protester.
“We are asking for basic remunerations, that Vodacom stop outsourcing, and that office workers should at least be given an Internet connection.”
He said action against the cellular service provider was only starting and that workers in other provinces needed to join.
Protesters were asking all Vodacom users to switch off their phones for 10 minutes at noon on Wednesday in solidarity with workers who were being “treated like slaves”.
The group burned a Vodacom T-shirt and danced around it.
In May last year, Malema was found guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute after he attacked President Jacob Zuma for rebuking him in public and compared him to his predecessor Thabo Mbeki while addressing the media.
The ANC's national disciplinary committee fined him R10 000 and ordered him to attend anger management classes. It also ruled that if he was found guilty of dividing the party again within two years, his party membership would be suspended.
On Friday, Malema said he was ready to face his disciplinary hearing.
“Whatever happens to us, we are ready for that... People should know that even if we are fired tomorrow, our blood will remain black, green and gold,” he said. - Sapa