Johannesburg - African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) KwaZulu-Natal secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo has denied being involved in an alleged meeting with former president Jacob Zuma and his supporters to plot the ousting of the current ANC leadership, and has sought legal advice on a Sunday Times article in this regard.
He said he had been made aware of the Sunday Times article on Sunday about a supposed meeting - reportedly held at a Durban hotel on Thursday - to plan the ousting of the leadership of the ANC, in particular, President Cyril Ramaphosa. "The article claimed I was present at this meeting where this plant was apparently hedged (sic)," he said in a statement.
"I want to state that I was never part of a meeting as detailed in the article. I am not part of a plot and will not be part of a plot to oust the sitting leadership of the African National Congress. I enjoy a good working relationship with the President Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of the ANC and the republic, and would not be part of a plot to oust him.
"Since the publication of the article I have sought legal advice and have decided to approach the Press Ombudsman and [have] laid a complaint against the article for it creates an impression that I was present at some meeting planning to oust the leadership," Sabelo said.
He said it would be ignorant on his part to ignore the possibility that this was aimed at harming the good working relationship that he had with Ramaphosa, "which evidently does not sit well with others".
"It would equally be naive of me to ignore the role of media houses in trying to influence the upcoming national congress of the ANC Youth League. I believe the aim of the article is to create a distrust on me by youth of South Africa."
It was common knowledge that the youth of South Africa was today searching for a leadership that would truly represent their aspirations and a leadership that would seek to unite the leadership of the ANC rather than divide it.
"Once again I wish to distance myself from the said meeting and state categorically that I was not part of any meeting," Sabelo said.