Malema's expulsion a tragedy, Mbalula says

2012-03-02 22:14

Johannesburg - The expulsion of Julius Malema from the ANC is a "political tragedy", Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said on Friday.

He told SABC radio news: "I characterise this as a political tragedy for all of us who come from the ranks of the youth league. Julius and his generation have actually suffered a blow that we did not come to realise or test."

Mbalula said he was sad for the ANC over the events, but added he believed the youth league would survive.

"Of course we had a great advantage of being politically guided with all the mistakes that we committed, but our elders and the people around us were a great team that looked after us and nurtured us," he said.

"They were very patient with us. If they were not, we would have been expelled."

Mbalula is favoured by the ANCYL to replace current ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe at the party's elective conference in Bloemfontein in December.

The ANC announced on Wednesday that it had expelled Malema from party, after he was found guilty of sowing divisions in its ranks, among other things.

- SAPA