ANCYL punishment welcomed

2011-11-10 20:33

Johannesburg - Sentences imposed on the ANC Youth League's top six officials were largely welcomed on Thursday as a move to restore discipline.

"We cannot allow people to engage in deviant behaviour and not act," ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu told reporters in Johannesburg.

Other political parties and civil society groups applauded the decision by the ANC's national disciplinary committee to axe Julius Malema as league president, and Floyd Shivambu as his spokesperson, saying they had polarised South Africa and damaged the country's reputation.

Malema was suspended from the league for five years and Shivambu for three.

Malema, who was writing exams in Polokwane when the announcement was made, said the "gloves were off".

‘Victory will not last’

"Let the enemy enjoy, but that victory will not last," SAfm quoted him as saying in Limpopo.

"We will be liberated by Mangaung 2012," said Malema, referring to the ruling party's elective and policy-making conference to be held in the Free State next year.

"We must also fight for what we believe in. We must never apologise. The gloves are off," he added.

Shivambu, called "arrogant and defiant" by the ANC's national disciplinary committee, could not be reached for comment.

Secretary general Sindiso Magaqa said the organisation would appeal on the basis of a "procedural lapse" in the disciplinary proceedings - not being able to present mitigating circumstances ahead of their suspensions.

Magaqa said the organisation stood by its leadership and by its call for a transfer of wealth in South Africa.

Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said South Africa was "a better place".

"Malema and Shivambu have without a doubt caused a lot of damage to South Africa internationally as well as nationally," said Mulder.

Internal power struggles

The youth bodies of political parties lauded the punishment imposed.

Democratic Alliance Youth leader Makashule Gana said the move would be a catalyst for the ANC's internal power struggles and cause a realignment of politics in the next five years.

The Azanian People's Organisation Youth leader Amukelani Ngobeni said: "We view this as the best thing to have happened to South African politics of young people because the pair have been the worst thing to have ever graced the world of youth activism."

The African Christian Democratic Party and Christian Democratic Party both applauded the sentences.

The CDP said Malema had done immeasurable damage to investment confidence the country.

Strong message

African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe said the ruling sent a strong message to the youth league that ill-discipline in any form would not be tolerated.

Commercial farmer union TAU SA welcomed Malema's five-year suspension.

It was, however, disappointed that the controversial leader was found not guilty on charges of racism, its leader Louis Meintjies said.

"Three different High Courts... ruled that Malema's statements or songs were considered to be hate speech, which means racism," he said.

ANC ally, the Congress of SA Trade Unions, would not comment on any of the disciplinary cases, but said it was "committed to discipline" within the ANC.

- SAPA