ANC's Malema vows not to resign
JOHANNESBURG - Defiant South Africa ruling party African National Congress (ANC) youth leader vows not to step down but appeal against his suspension.
The ANC National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) suspended its Youth League President Julius Malema last Thursday from the party for five years and asked him to "vacate" his post. The ruling gave him two weeks to appeal the verdict.
Malema on Wednesday said the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Youth League "totally disagrees and rejects" the conviction and disagrees with the "unreasonable and unjustifiable sanctions given" in the verdict.
Speaking at a press conference held at Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters, Malema said he was "inspired" by South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela. He said even the NDC reject his appeal he will come back after five years and continue lobbing for nationalization and struggle for economic empowerment of youth and black majority.
"I am not going to resign. I am inspired by fearless Nelson Mandela and courageous Chris Hani. Suspension for five years is much better than 27 years in jail, why didn't Madiba (Mandela) resign even when he was in a difficulty situation like that," the 30 year old Malema told journalists.
"(Mandela spent) 27 years in prison (and) five years of loitering in the streets why must I resign. I will never resign, there is nothing painful, there is nothing personal even if I am in the streets for five years I will come back after five years and continue with that struggle for economic emancipation of our people," said Malema.
In a way that indicated that he feels is being pushed out of 100 years old revolutionary party because of his demand for taking of land without compensation and nationalization of mines together with banks, Malema said individual senior politicians and ANC leaders must not repress the call by the youth wing but open debate.
"If nationalization is the problem leave the branches of the ANC to reject it don't suppress. If expropriation of land without compensation is the problem leave the membership of the ANC to resolved it don't suppress it by suspending leaders and suspending the ANC youth league," said Malema.
Malema is popular of calling for mines to be nationalized and white-owned farms to be seized. Many youth support him because of his consistent call of youth economic freedom and standing for the poor and marginalized.
NDC chairperson Derek Hanekom announcing the hash verdict said Malema's calls for nationalization "damaged South Africa's international reputation."
He said the whole verdict actually reduces the ANCYL to a tale and vowed to be fired than to resign.
"To save many generations we have to solder on in defense of the autonym of the youth league and its leadership and the right of the youth league members to choose their own leaders," said Malema. "We must defend that because if we resign then this youth league is going to become a desert," he added.
ANCYL has a critical political role to play in the life of ANC and the life of South Africa society so we are not going to be reduced to a desk, he said.
The ANC leadership accused Malema for bringing the party "into disrepute" and interfering with Botswana internal politics when mid this year he publicly said Gaborone is a puppet of the imperialist "undermining Africa agenda." He said the ANCYL would send a team to consolidate local opposition parties and help it bring about regime change in the diamond rich Southern Africa nation.
He was also found guilty and accused of "sowing divisions" in the party and of failing to respect party leadership including party and country President Jacob Zuma.
Malema said he was not in a rush to submit his appeal called on for ANC leadership and its youth wing to find a lasting political solution to the mater.
"Political problems are not solved that way," he told journalist responding to questions. "They are not solved through this way. They are resolved politically thus why we are saying lets engage. Let's find each other politically," he said.
