Malema support splits Cosas

2011-03-29 22:32

Bloemfontein - The Congress of SA Students in the Free State backs ANC Youth League president Julius Malema for a second term, the provincial leadership said on Tuesday.

This was after Cosas's national leadership said Malema was giving the ANCYL a bad name and it would not back him for a second term.

Cosas president Bongani Mani said the congress would rather support the league's Gauteng chair Lebogang Maile, who is also the province's MEC for sport, culture, arts and recreation.

But Cosas Free State leader Nono Mokoma expressed disappointment at the declaration of support for Maile.

"In so far as the matter is concerned, Cosas in our province recognises Julius Malema as the president of the ANCYL, and we support Julius because nobody can dispute his political activism in our struggle.

"We known him from his days in Cosas and he is a well trained cadre of the revolution, no amount of mockery and selfish critics can convince the membership and the leadership of Cosas in Free State to support Lebogang Maile or any ambitious pothole that will want to emerge in the upcoming congress of the ANCYL," said Mani in a statement.

"We are very clear that we supported and continue to support the leadership of JuJu. Malema has been dragged through the mud because of his bravery to take any issue with anyone head on without any intimidation, and therefore we will defend him as our product and as part of our legacy."

The ANCYL was preparing for its 24th national elective congress to be held in June and nominations for new leadership began in February.

After Cosas expressed support for Maile, ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said "someone" was "using Cosas to lobby for themselves".

League support had so far come out in favour of Malema in seven out of nine provinces with decisions from Gauteng and Western Cape outstanding.

- SAPA