'No plans to remove ANC leaders'

2010-09-09 14:05

Johannesburg - ANC Youth League president Julius Malema on Thursday moved to allay fears about top ANC leaders being removed at the ruling party's upcoming national general council.

"There's nothing that poses a threat to this leadership, you can be rest assured," Malema told reporters ahead of the ANC's NGC in Durban later this month.

"If there's anybody we want to remove in the NGC, we will tell you we want to remove that one.... There's no resolution to remove anybody."

Zuma plot

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), an ANC ally, earlier this year raised concerns about a plot to remove ANC president Jacob Zuma and secretary general Gwede Mantashe at the NGC.

Media reports have also indicated the League's growing dissatisfaction with Zuma over, among other things, his comments on the nationalisation of the mines.

"[President Zuma] will be defended by us for as long as he's still president.

"When we have got a plan we don't go underground... we are open about it," Malema said.

Malema said only those who "suffered from lack of self confidence" and were "paranoid" were panicking about the leadership question.

Nationalisation

The ANCYL remains determined that the ANC resolve at the NGC to make the nationalisation of the mines policy and eventually make this government policy.

Malema said that 90% of the NGC would be ANC delegates, and that the ANCYL would mobilise 70% of them to support this position.

The ANC NGC, a mid-term policy review, takes place from September 20 to 24 September.

It is expected there will be 2 000 ANC delegates at the NGC, and fewer than 100 from the ANCYL.

- SAPA