RELATIONS between the ANC and ANC Youth League have hit rock-bottom, with the mother body accusing its young lions of undermining the relationship between the two.
This comes after the ANCYL on Tuesday publicly rebuked the ruling party's spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu. The two parties are to meet on Monday to discuss the matter.
In a statement yesterday ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe accused the ANCYL of defying its mother body.
"In view of the defiance by the ANCYL and attempt to isolate Comrade Jackson Mthembu as speaking for himself when he is the rightful spokesperson of the ANC, Comrade Floyd Shivambu is not talking on behalf of the ANC," Mantashe said. "We will therefore have to reaffirm the relationship between the ANC and its league.
"Rule 7 of our constitution is clarifying the relationship between the ANC and its leagues. Unfortunately, when it comes to the ANCYL we have had many incidents that show the desire to undermine the ANC leadership under the pretext of not understanding the relationship between the two."
On Monday Mthembu blasted the league after its president, Julius Malema, accused Botswana's President Ian Khama of being a "US puppet". Malema also announced the league was assembling a "command team that would work with opposition parties in Botswana to bring Khama down".
In response, Mthembu said the attack on Khama was "a clear demonstration that the ANCYL's ill-discipline has crossed the political line".
On Tuesday the ANCYL said it disagreed with Mthembu's approach to the Botswana question and was very disappointed with the manner in which he handled the matter
"The ANC Youth League does not believe that our position on Botswana and the approach is inconsistent with ANC policy outlook, and the public condemnation by ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu does not help to clarify this position.
"If there is anything inconsistent with ANC policy directives, it is leaders of the ANC who associated with imperialist-controlled political parties like MDC in Zimbabwe and BDP in Botswana," Shivambu said in a statement.
Yesterday the ANC said the fact that the league decided to rebuke Mthembu constituted a serious transgression "that the ANC itself must discuss and decide".
"In relation to the league's plans to cooperate with opposition parties in Botswana, Mantashe said the ANC "has no policy of supporting regime changes even in countries governed by parties who might not share our ideological outlook".
Comments irritate ANC
RELATIONS between the ANC and ANC Youth League have hit rock-bottom, with the mother body accusing its young lions of undermining the relationship between the two.
This comes after the ANCYL on Tuesday publicly rebuked the ruling party's spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu. The two parties are to meet on Monday to discuss the matter.
In a statement yesterday ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe accused the ANCYL of defying its mother body.
"In view of the defiance by the ANCYL and attempt to isolate Comrade Jackson Mthembu as speaking for himself when he is the rightful spokesperson of the ANC, Comrade Floyd Shivambu is not talking on behalf of the ANC," Mantashe said. "We will therefore have to reaffirm the relationship between the ANC and its league.
"Rule 7 of our constitution is clarifying the relationship between the ANC and its leagues. Unfortunately, when it comes to the ANCYL we have had many incidents that show the desire to undermine the ANC leadership under the pretext of not understanding the relationship between the two."
On Monday Mthembu blasted the league after its president, Julius Malema, accused Botswana's President Ian Khama of being a "US puppet". Malema also announced the league was assembling a "command team that would work with opposition parties in Botswana to bring Khama down".
In response, Mthembu said the attack on Khama was "a clear demonstration that the ANCYL's ill-discipline has crossed the political line".
On Tuesday the ANCYL said it disagreed with Mthembu's approach to the Botswana question and was very disappointed with the manner in which he handled the matter
"The ANC Youth League does not believe that our position on Botswana and the approach is inconsistent with ANC policy outlook, and the public condemnation by ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu does not help to clarify this position.
"If there is anything inconsistent with ANC policy directives, it is leaders of the ANC who associated with imperialist-controlled political parties like MDC in Zimbabwe and BDP in Botswana," Shivambu said in a statement.
Yesterday the ANC said the fact that the league decided to rebuke Mthembu constituted a serious transgression "that the ANC itself must discuss and decide".
"In relation to the league's plans to cooperate with opposition parties in Botswana, Mantashe said the ANC "has no policy of supporting regime changes even in countries governed by parties who might not share our ideological outlook".
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