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Reitz 'no go' for ANCYL talks
03/04/2008 12:08 - (SA)
Jan-Jan Joubert and Pieter du Toit, Beeld
Bloemfontein - The most-talked-about patch of ground on the University of the Free State (UFS) campus, the Reitz residence, is being guarded and none of the delegates at the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) congress are staying there.
Reitz was in the news recently because it was where a much-publicised, controversial and racist video was made.
Many of about 4 000; delegates were staying in other residences on the campus, but Reitz was surrounded by red-and-white tape of the type one finds at road works.
A security guard in a blue uniform was on duty and made it clear one was not allowed in among the small group of houses that made up the Reitz residence.
Only a few of the 120 residents were staying in these houses: a few students who had to work during the holidays and, in the case of two medical students, who were on call at the hospital.
Worried about revenge attacks
Diagonally across the road was the huge Callie Human Centre where thousands of delegates are due to meet to reflect on how they want to change the country in the future.
Some of the holiday residents at Reitz were worried that things could get ugly during the night if delegates went out for drinks and then wanted to take revenge because of the image the residence had had since the video was made public.
Thursday's proceedings in the Callie Human centre will be dominated by a speech by ANC leader Jacob Zuma to the Youth League, who were his most-loyal supporters during the extended power struggle between him and President Thabo Mbeki.
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