ANCYL backs Lamola after Malema attack

Former African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

Former African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Nov 28, 2012

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Expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema should be ashamed that he failed to provide leadership to the youth of South Africa, the league said on Wednesday.

“These blood-curdling remarks are not worthy of any leader, let alone one trusted by not only the youth, but thousands of South Africans, as he has demonstrated time and again,” African National Congress Youth League spokesman Khusela Sangoni-Khawe said in a statement.

He was reacting to Malema's criticism of his successor Ronald Lamola, as reported by the Star newspaper.

Malema reportedly called Lamola a “traitor” and a “sell-out”.

This, after Lamola said in a statement that the ANCYL would support the outcome of the ANC national elective conference in Mangaung regardless of whether their endorsed candidates won.

“He is compromised. He is gone. He has sold out... (With) his sell-out tendencies he will never lead the youth league,” Malema told the newspaper.

Lamola declined to comment to The Star, and said he had to “consult with comrades” before offering a response to Malema's criticisms.

Sangoni-Khawe said the comments were “mischievous” and that Malema was a disappointment to the youth, who looked to him as a leader.

“Julius Malema’s unfortunate action of resorting to public squabbling and accusations is not befitting the stature with which young people regard our organisation... and hence we will rise to defend anything we view as an unwarranted attack against it, its views and positions.”

Sangoni-Khawe said Lamola was being attacked because he had said the youth wing had no case to answer in court and would therefore not organise any rallies for Malema.

He said the organisation was “far above” any individual.

“It is a fact that the ANCYL is not accused of money-laundering in any court of law and... he (Lamola) remains correct in distancing the organisation from private issues of individuals, regardless of what position they may or may not hold....”

Malema will appear in the Polokwane Regional Court on Friday on charges of money-laundering.

Suspended ANCYL spokesman and Malema's right-hand man Floyd Shivambu said Lamola had not betrayed the organisation.

“... Ronald Lamola has not betrayed the struggle for economic freedom in our lifetime, and has not changed the collective view that there should be (a) change of leadership (at) the ANC('s) 53rd national conference...,” Shivambu said on Wednesday.

However, he said Malema remained its “commander-in-chief”, as the findings of ANC national disciplinary committee did not hold water “in the struggle, and in formal structures of the ANCYL”.

He said Lamola's self-appointment as acting president did not count.

Shivambu said Malema and Lamola were the two most senior people in the ANCYL and that their responsibility and obligation was to guide all progressive forces towards “victory of the war”.

“Tactical blunders and mistakes, which include miscommunication, have (the) potential to throw confusion... and disorganise the struggle for total economic emancipation,” he said.

“Differences on the tactical options and what is to be immediately done have (the) potential to undermine and compromise the strategic mission we have identified for ourselves.”

He said that if the differences and bickering did not stop, the struggle for economic freedom could be undermined.

He urged Malema and Lamola not to play into the hands of the enemy.

“The strategic enemy of our struggle is capital and imperialism; those we politically oppose in the ANC are their representatives, and if we continue fighting among ourselves, these representatives of white monopoly capital will ascend to position(s) of leadership.

“That is why unity in opposing this political apocalypse is paramount,” he said. - Sapa

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