Tuesday, February 21, 2012

ANCYL Update: Youth Wing of South African Ruling Party Rejects Suspension of Leadership

Why Malema is taunting the ANC's top brass

NICKOLAUS BAUER | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Feb 22 2012 00:00

Is Julius Malema trying to antagonise the ANC into dissolving the league, a move which might be seen by the party's national executive committee (NEC) as so drastic that it feels compelled to come to his aid? That theory is now doing the rounds within youth league circles, and is lent credence by a leading political analyst.

As the post-mitigation decision by the ANC's national disciplinary committee (NDC) draws near, the Mail & Guardian understands that the ANC Youth League's suspended leaders are trying to goad the ruling party's top leadership, including President Jacob Zuma, into taking even more drastic action against them.

League president Julius Malema and his cohorts are determined to force the ANC's top brass to try to dissolve the youth body, in the hopes of earning them sympathy from the rest of the party's national executive committee, whom they will then lobby to reinstate the young lions' suspended leadership.

The NEC has the power to overturn the suspensions, but the youth league fears it does not currently have enough support to secure this result.

It hopes that a decision to dissolve the league would paint the ANC's "top six" leaders -- including Zuma and secretary general Gwede Mantashe -- as malicious and vindictive, and thereby encourage more NEC members to push for a "political solution" that favours Malema and his fellow youth league leaders.

This follows the league's announcement last week that it would disregard any suspension handed to Malema or any other leaders by the ANC.

Malema was quoted by the SABC as calling for the "unbanning" of the league at an economic freedom rally in Bushbuckridge over the weekend.

"We are ready to confront every situation. We are fearless, we are more determined to fight for the economic freedom of our people and therefore any form of intimidation is not working," Malema told the SABC.

Dissolving the ANC Youth League
The ANC's top six have the power to dissolve the league as a structure of the ruling party.

However, such a decision has to be rubber-stamped by the ruling party's national working committee and NEC, at which stage Malema hopes to turn the tables on Zuma.

According to political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi, the youth league is "forcing the issue out into the open in a bid to gauge support".

"Sometimes in order to defeat your opponent you need to deepen the crisis. In other words, force your foe to act in a manner they don't favour," Matshiqi told the M&G.

Matshiqi said this would fit into the overall strategy of the league's pursuit of a political solution to the standoff.

"This effectively moves the terms of engagement from an administrative place within the NDC to a political terrain within the ruling party. Whether this will solve their problems would depend on their support inside the ruling party," Matshiqi said.

Support in doubt

But the youth leaguers have been in some doubt about how much support they currently enjoy within the NEC.

"If they were certain of NEC support they wouldn't be employing these tactics," Matshiqi said.

If this dissolution gambit does not work, the youth league's last resort would be to push for a resolution to be passed at the national elective conference in Mangaung that nullifies all disciplinary processes, reinstating Malema and his cohorts.

Youth league spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy would not comment on the league's survival strategy, citing "the ongoing disciplinary process".

However, Moonsamy said the current leadership would continue "fulfilling their mandate" until instructed to do otherwise by their members.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-22-why-malema-is-taunting-the-anc-top-six


Juju exhorts young lions to fight to 'unban' youth league

BUSHBUCKRIDGE, SOUTH AFRICA Feb 20 2012 07:34

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has called on young people to fight for the "unbanning" of the youth league, SABC news reported on Sunday.

Addressing his followers in Bushbuckridge, Malema said he would continue to support the African National Congress even if he was expelled, the broadcaster said.

The ANC's national appeals committee confirmed Malema's five-year suspension, but the party referred the matter back to the disciplinary committee to considering plea for leniency for his and other youth leaders' sentences.

Malema said the youth should not be intimidated.

"We are ready to confront every situation. We are fearless, we are more determined to fight for the economic freedom of our people and therefore any form of intimidation is not working," he was quoted by the SABC.

"Actually, when you intimidate us, you make us to be determined in our calls for the total liberation of our people."

Malema and his executive were found guilty in November of bringing the ANC into disrepute and of sowing division in the party, partly for making comments about regime change in Botswana and comparing President Jacob Zuma unfavourably to his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki. -- Sapa


Prosecutors 'want Malema expelled'

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Feb 19 2012 07:23

The prosecution in ANC Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema's mitigation hearing have argued that he should be expelled from the party, reported the Sunday Times.

The prosecution was reported to have stated on Thursday that Malema should be expelled from the ruling party because he had shown no remorse for his comments and actions.

Malema argued in mitigation that statements made leading to his suspension were not his personal views but that of the ANCYL's national executive committee (NEC), reported the newspaper.

On February 4, the ANC's appeals committee announced that attempts by Malema, league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, and secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and three other ANCYL officials to have the guilty verdicts against them overturned had been dismissed.

They were found guilty in November last year of bringing the ANC into disrepute and of sowing division in the party.

This was after they made comments about regime change in Botswana, undermined Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba's authority, insulted a journalist, and compared President Jacob Zuma unfavourably to his predecessor Thabo Mbeki.

'Political solution'

Meanwhile, the youth league continues to hold out for some kind of "political solution" for its leaders.

The league held a press conference on Thursday at which Malema, Magaqa and Shivambu were conspicuous by their absence as they were attending the disciplinary hearing.

As the Mail & Guardian reported last week, the youth league said it would not entertain discussion about who would replace Malema should he be expelled, insisting it would retain his leadership until the next conference in June 2014.

"No leader of the ANC Youth League which has been mandated by the national congress will resign their position until the next congress," the league said in a statement read by deputy president Ronald Lamola. "There is no constitutional basis for the ANC Youth League that allows for removal of leadership of the organisation through a process that does not include the structures and members of the ANC Youth League," the statement read.

Earlier, there was speculation that Malema would be replaced by his deputy, Lamola, or the league's treasurer general, Pule Mabe. - Sapa and Staff reporter

Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-19-prosecutors-want-malema-expelled


ANCYL insists current leaders will be retained

CHARLES MOLELE - Feb 17 2012 00:00

The ANC Youth League continues to hold out for some kind of "political solution" for its leaders who have been found guilty by a party disciplinary committee of various offences, even as the committee sat to finalise their sentences.

The league held a press conference on Thursday at which its president, Julius Malema, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and spokesman Floyd Shivambu were conspicuous by their absence. They were attending the disciplinary hearing that is now dealing with arguments in mitigation of their sentences.

Malema and his cohorts stand accused of bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing divisions within the ranks of the party.

As the Mail & Guardian reported last week, the youth league said it would not entertain discussion about who would replace Malema should he be expelled, insisting it would retain his leadership until the next conference in June 2014.

"No leader of the ANC Youth League which has been mandated by the national congress will resign their position until the next congress," the league said in a statement read by deputy president Ronald Lamola. "There is no constitutional basis for the ANC Youth League that allows for removal of leadership of the organisation through a process that does not include the structures and members of the ANC Youth League," the statement read.

Earlier, there was speculation that Malema would be replaced by his deputy, Lamola, or the league's treasurer general, Pule Mabe.

ANCYL insists disciplinary process was politically motivated

The youth league reiterated its views, which were rejected by the disciplinary committee, that the entire process was politically motivated and was meant to settle scores. In particular, it said, the process was meant to suppress the league's strong views on nationalisation and the expropriation of land.

It also introduced a new argument, saying the report of its national conference had been sent to ANC headquarters, whence there had been no feedback, creating the impression that the ANC agreed with the congress resolutions. The league argued that all its actions and pronouncements since, for which its leaders had been charged, were based on that political report.

"We believe that the ANC carries an obligation to educate and guide the ANC Youth League on all critical policy issues and not persecute the leadership."

Lamola said that, in the light of these factors, the ANC should "engage" with the league in a political discussion that would result in the charges being withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the league has vowed to challenge the outcome of research into nationalisation that has ruled out the concept as ANC policy.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-17-ancyl-insists-current-leaders-will-be-retained


ANCYL: 'Hell no, we won't go!
'
NICKOLAUS BAUER | JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Feb 16 2012 14:14

The ANC Youth League on Thursday said it will defy any suspension handed down by the ANC to their president Julius Malema or any other leaders.

Following their annual lekgotla at the weekend, the league said at a press conference in Johannesburg that they respect the disciplinary processes of the ANC but the onus is on the mother body to convince the league's members why their leader should be suspended.

"The ANC must inform and convince and the league and its members it is the right decision and give reasons for doing so. We can't simply hear about their suspensions in the media and the process is closed, " said league deputy president Ronald Lamola.

This means the youth league will ignore the national disciplinary committee (NDC) ruling on the suspensions and said the ANC does not have the right to suspend them.

The league argued that the disciplinary action taken against Malema and others is "politically motivated" by certain sectors of the ANC wishing to "preserve privilege and position" in the ruling party.

This is despite NDC appeals committe (NDCA) chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa dismissing the league's assertion, saying it was "absurd and "naive" to think so.

"The ANC must respect the will of the people. It must respect the views of the membership of the ANC Youth League," said Lamola.

The ANC would not immediately comment on the league's standpoint, describing it as a "complex situation".

"We can't comment at this stage but the matter will receive the necessary attention within the structures of the ANC," spokesperson Keith Khoza told the Mail & Guardian.

Malema along with league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu and secretary general Sindiso Magaqa have been arguing in mitigation of their suspensions, which were handed down to them by the NDC in November last year.

Malema was suspended for five years, while Shivambu faces a three-year suspension after being found guilty of sowing divisions within the ANC.

Magaqa received an 18-month suspension from the party, which was suspended for three years.

The suspensions relate to comments made by Shivambu about regime change in Botswana as well as insulting a journalist; Magaqa's suspension is for undermining the authority of Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba and Malema was sentenced for comparing President Jacob Zuma unfavourably to his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki.

After appealing the judgment, the ruling party's NDCA upheld the suspensions, but ordered the NDC to hear mitigating arguments from the trio.

The ANC would also be allowed to argue mitigating factors, which could result in harsher sentences.

The league's move could be seen as their latest attempt to stall the suspension process.

If there is no change to the suspensions after the NDC has heard the mitigating evidence, it is unclear what the youth league's next move would be, but their options to challenge the suspensions are diminishing.

Their next point of call would be trying to get the judgments nullified by ANC's national executive committee (NEC).

This would be a stiff challenge as the league would have to gain the support from over half the ruling party's main decision body.

Even though initial indications show support is evident for Malema among some of the ANC's top brass, the league would struggle to put together sufficient numbers to have the decision overturned.

If the challenge of the ruling fails at NEC level, Malema and his cohorts will only be left with the option of challenging the ruling party in court.

But the league says this will never happen.

"Court is not an option. We will respect the disciplinary processes of the ANC," said deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.

Therefore, the only viable option for the league now is to delay the process until the ANC's elective conference this December in Mangaung.

Even if Malema and his fellow league members are suspended before then, the youth league and ANC members can propose it as a motion for discussion and hopefully have the matter revisited.

If they can convince the elective conference of their position, a resolution could be introduced and passed which exonerates Malema, Shivambu and Magaqa.

It may be a long shot for the league to attempt to further drag out a process, which formally began at the beginning of August last year.

However, indications show that the Young Lions are prepared for the long haul as they know life outside the ANC can be a very lonely place.

"There will be no split. This is part of internal engagement. We are one family. We are part of the ANC. We can find a solution -- whatever it takes," said treasurer general Pule Mabe.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Web Address: http://mg.co.za/article/2012-02-16-ancyl-hell-no-we-wont-go

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