ANCYL says members are being harassed

2011-09-09 14:08

Janice Roberts

Johannesburg - The national leadership of the ANC Youth League alleges that its members are being harassed and interrogated by people claiming to be from National Intelligence.

"We understand that these people visit during early hours of the morning to interrogate ANCYL members and leaders about supporters of the ANC who gathered to support the charged leadership in Johannesburg over the past few weeks.

"The ANCYL condemns this kind of intimidation and harassment by these unmarked people, because we do not know what their real intentions are and whether they are legitimate officers of the South African state," the ANCYL said in a statement.

The ANCYL added that it had "unequivocally condemned the violence that took place in Johannesburg on Tuesday the 30th of August", when rioting occurred outside Luthuli House, the venue for the ANCYL's president Julius Malema's disciplinary hearing.

It had also expressed utter disappointment and disgust at those who had burned T-shirts of the ANC bearing the face of President Jacob Zuma.

‘Unacceptable’

"The ANC Youth League leadership also spoke to the people who gathered in Johannesburg that they must never agree to be infiltrated by agent provocateurs because their genuine support might be confused with ill-disciplined elements amongst them.

"So for these unmarked people to interrogate and intimidate members and leaders of the ANC Youth League is totally misplaced, uncalled for and unacceptable."

The ANCYL added that it would soon approach the "relevant authorities" to register its concern over the intimidation and unwarranted interrogation of its members "by unmarked people who call themselves National Intelligence".

Malema was set to face the ANC national disciplinary committee again on Sunday at an undisclosed location. This was a continuation of the proceedings that took place last week in Johannesburg.

There has been speculation that Malema, together with the league's top five officials, could be expelled from the party for bringing it into disrepute and sowing division in the party's ranks.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)