The ANC Youth League has gone into open revolt against the ANC in what appears to be the biggest organisational crisis to hit the party since a breakaway faction established the rival Pan Africanist Congress in 1959.
Provincial youth league leaders vowed yesterday that they would fight to defend their beleaguered national colleagues, who face disciplinary steps for bringing the ANC into disrepute, sowing divisions in the movement, and for storming into a closed party leadership meeting at Luthuli House two weeks ago.
The young lions launched an unprecedented attack on President Jacob Zuma and his leadership yesterday, accusing the ANC of paranoia, double standards, of trying to destroy the youth league and of being unable to handle political heat.
Those who spoke to the Cape Argus were unanimous and forthright in their condemnation of the ANC and its leadership – even going as far as challenging the party to take disciplinary steps against them.
Northern Cape league chairman Shadrack Tlhaole led the charge, warning that the ANC would not be able to get rid of youth leader Julius Malema.
“We are tired of being threatened with disciplinary action every time some leaders cannot handle the pressure in the party. They can try and fire Malema, but they will not succeed,” he said.
Tlhaole went further, suggesting that it was the current ANC leadership who should, in fact, be facing disciplinary action for supporting South Africa’s vote at the UN earlier this year authorising military action against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The league’s Limpopo chairman, Frans Moswane, said the charges were “political in nature” and thus required a political discussion with the ANC leadership.
“We cannot allow people to use their positions to undermine the leadership of the youth league. For this we are prepared to fight tooth and nail and we will continue to support president Julius Malema,” he said, adding that his province had resolved to support Malema “unconditionally and without fear or favour”.
He was joined by North West league chairman Papiki Baboile, who said the charges were “not about discipline and all about people who are eager to come back to the leadership of the ANC (after next year’s elective conference in Mangaung)”.
After months of growing tension between the parent body and its youth wing, the ANC snapped when the league announced that it would actively campaign for “regime change” in neighbouring Botswana – a move that embarrassed and infuriated the party.
But league leaders maintain that Malema was articulating a collective decision.
“As the ANC Youth League in the Northern Cape, we do not take these charges seriously and if it means that we will also be subjected to disciplinary action, then so be it,” Tlhaole said.
Malema and league spokesman Floyd Shivambu were officially charged on August 19.
On Tuesday the ANC charged youth league deputy president Ronald Lamola, secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa, deputy secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer-general Pule Mabe.
Malema and Shivambu are scheduled to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee, chaired by ANC MP Derek Hanekom, on August 30 and 31 respectively, while Lamola’s date with destiny is believed to be September 2. The appearance dates for the other leaders are not known.
The youth league leaders are believed to have the silent but firm backing of several provincial ANC secretaries and other members of the party’s national executive committee.
This was confirmed yesterday by Tlhaole, who appealed to these “silent supporters” to come forward in the youth league’s hour of need”.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told the Cape Argus last night that the charges against Malema and company were “not politically motivated”.
Asked if the party would bow to pressure from the league to drop the charges against its leaders, Mantashe responded with a firm “no”.
And to league claims that the party leadership was practising double standards by having relied on youth league support in the run-up to Polokwane, while rebuking its current outspokenness, Mantashe said: “You are taking me to a very slippery road.
“Basically, you are saying to me that if there were things that were done wrong (in Polokwane), we have to leave it and not fix it. (Are you suggesting that) anything that was done in Polokwane should be (characteristic) of the ANC – that we have no responsibility to deviate from that?”
And when he was asked whether, in light of the defiance expressed by provincial youth leaders yesterday, the party would take further disciplinary steps, Mantashe sighed and said: “I really don’t know.” - Political Bureau