Malema attacks ruling party leadership
1 August 2010, 11:38
The ANC has called an urgent meeting with its youth league tomorrow as rebellion and court cases continue to dog the league while structures defy Luthuli House's orders not to involve courts.
This comes after the disbanded Eastern Cape youth provincial executive committee (PEC) successfully interdicted - for the second time - the provincial conference from taking place this weekend.
While a defiant youth league was determined to continue with the Grahamstown conference despite the court order, an intervention by Luthuli House stopped them.
Eastern Cape provincial leader Mlibo Qoboshiyana said the youth league had not defied Luthuli House but was defending its constitution from being abused by Malema's leadership.
"The PEC finds no fulfilment or joy in resorting to court in resolving organisational processes, but the suffocation of internal democracy has compelled us to take this undesirable recourse.
"We remain confident and committed to the facilitation process by the ANC and request the ANC NEC (national executive committee) officials to subject the youth league to its overall guidance," said Qoboshiyana.
The disputed regional leadership of Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga also ended up in court on Friday in an attempt to halt the Mpumalanga provincial conference.
But this did not succeed as the conference went ahead and a pro-Julius Malema leadership was elected.
The Ehlanzeni leadership plans to return to court tomorrow to challenge the outcome of the provincial conference.
At the Mpumalanga conference on Friday, Malema accused the ANC of double standards in responding to the court challenges.
"If it was indead Julius Malema who had taken people to court we were going to be speaking about disciplinary hearing tomorrow (Saturday), but today (Friday) children of the revolution take the organisation to court the ANC does not take action against them," said Malema, according to an SABC report.
At yesterday's North West provincial conference in Rustenburg, Malema continued his attack on the ANC leadership for not dealing with members who take the organisation to court.
"Do we have special members in the ANC?... The ANC says don't go to court and they go to court and nothing happens to them.
"What divided us before Polokwane is that others were treated differently," said Malema to applause.
He suggested that those unhappy with the league leave the organisation.
"You came here on your own. If you are not happy, you are free to leave and form your own organisation," he said.
The league will use tomorrow's meeting to challenge ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe for his questioning of the expulsion of Malema's rival Lehlogonolo Masoga.
Mantashe referred to Masoga's expulsion as "harsh" during an interview with the SABC.
But Mantashe has refused to respond to the youth league "through the media".
Masoga's shocking expulsion came despite an earlier understanding that the ANC would listen to his dispute with the league.
This was on condition that he withdraw his court case against the league - which he did - while the league would halt his disciplinary process. But the league went on to expel him before the ANC had given them a hearing.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu told The Sunday Independent that he was in China and referred questions to Mantashe.
Mantashe was not available for comment.
This comes after the disbanded Eastern Cape youth provincial executive committee (PEC) successfully interdicted - for the second time - the provincial conference from taking place this weekend.
While a defiant youth league was determined to continue with the Grahamstown conference despite the court order, an intervention by Luthuli House stopped them.
Eastern Cape provincial leader Mlibo Qoboshiyana said the youth league had not defied Luthuli House but was defending its constitution from being abused by Malema's leadership.
"The PEC finds no fulfilment or joy in resorting to court in resolving organisational processes, but the suffocation of internal democracy has compelled us to take this undesirable recourse.
"We remain confident and committed to the facilitation process by the ANC and request the ANC NEC (national executive committee) officials to subject the youth league to its overall guidance," said Qoboshiyana.
The disputed regional leadership of Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga also ended up in court on Friday in an attempt to halt the Mpumalanga provincial conference.
But this did not succeed as the conference went ahead and a pro-Julius Malema leadership was elected.
The Ehlanzeni leadership plans to return to court tomorrow to challenge the outcome of the provincial conference.
At the Mpumalanga conference on Friday, Malema accused the ANC of double standards in responding to the court challenges.
"If it was indead Julius Malema who had taken people to court we were going to be speaking about disciplinary hearing tomorrow (Saturday), but today (Friday) children of the revolution take the organisation to court the ANC does not take action against them," said Malema, according to an SABC report.
At yesterday's North West provincial conference in Rustenburg, Malema continued his attack on the ANC leadership for not dealing with members who take the organisation to court.
"Do we have special members in the ANC?... The ANC says don't go to court and they go to court and nothing happens to them.
"What divided us before Polokwane is that others were treated differently," said Malema to applause.
He suggested that those unhappy with the league leave the organisation.
"You came here on your own. If you are not happy, you are free to leave and form your own organisation," he said.
The league will use tomorrow's meeting to challenge ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe for his questioning of the expulsion of Malema's rival Lehlogonolo Masoga.
Mantashe referred to Masoga's expulsion as "harsh" during an interview with the SABC.
But Mantashe has refused to respond to the youth league "through the media".
Masoga's shocking expulsion came despite an earlier understanding that the ANC would listen to his dispute with the league.
This was on condition that he withdraw his court case against the league - which he did - while the league would halt his disciplinary process. But the league went on to expel him before the ANC had given them a hearing.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu told The Sunday Independent that he was in China and referred questions to Mantashe.
Mantashe was not available for comment.
- This article was originally published on page 2 of The Sunday Independent on August 01, 2010
Pretoria
