We belong to the ANC, says Malema

September 14 2011 at 03:05pm
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INLSA
ANCYL president Julius Malema. Picture: Jennifer Bruce
BALDWIN NDABA

ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema and his co-accused assured ANC President Jacob Zuma this morning that their “lives and future” belonged to the ruling party.

Malema’s U-turn came a day after Zuma said the disciplinary charges against Malema were not intended to remove him from the public arena. Zuma made the remarks during an exclusive interview with The Star in which he denied that there was a witch-hunt against the youth league leader. This interview took place before this week’s Equality Court ruling Zuma reportedly said: “No, I do not think that should be the objective. I think the objective is how do you help Malema. Because Malema has a lot of elements that are good in him.”

He also warned Malema that he would have to watch his conduct if he wanted a future in the ANC.

Malema; his deputy, Ronald Lamola; secretary-general Sifiso Magaqa; his deputy, Kenetswe Mosenogi; treasurer Pule Mabe; and spokesman Floyd Shivambu are charged with misconduct by the ANC’s national disciplinary committee.

The charges range from sowing division within the ANC to bringing the party into disrepute. The charges include making derogatory remarks about the president of Botswana, Ian Khama, singing the praises of former ANC president Thabo Mbeki, as well as calling white people criminals for stealing land from black people. Malema is due to take the stand tomorrow at the Klipriviersberg Recreation Centre in Kibler Park, south of Joburg, when the disciplinary hearing against him continues. He is expected to start by answering the charges against him.

These charges have attracted conflicting reactions from senior ANC leaders.

On September 5, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe told the Food and Allied Workers Union conference in Joburg that people like Malema were “poison that needs to be rooted out of the ANC for the good of the party”.

However, Malema has opted to accept Zuma’s offer to “mould him into a good leader”.

“We welcome the ANC president’s commitment to helping our development and growth in the ANC, because we can’t imagine our lives now and in the future outside the ANC.

“We have always held President Zuma in high regard, and always looked up to him as a person who came from humble beginnings to become South Africa’s president,” he said.

“If we have political differences with the leadership, we will raise those internally with them and seek to develop and sustain common perspective on the critical questions.

“Any sign, of division in the ANC opens space for the enemy to attack us and undermine our heritage, songs and intentions to fulfil our objectives as the ANC,” Malema said.

“We all have an obligation to avoid actions and practices that might portray a divided ANC before its centenary celebrations in January 2012.”

The Star

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Is the president of the ANC running scared of the ANCYL?

Is the ANCYL a threat to the survival of the ANC?

Is the ANC about to implode?

Only time will tell.