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IN SUPPORT: Police minister Nathi Mthetwa presents a policing strategy at the Free State ANC conference on Saturday. PHOTO: SIBUSISO MSIBI

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His comments come as the ANCYL in Free State boycotted the provincial conference at the weekend, claiming it was illegitimate.

Zuma said there was a vast difference between the league of its heydays and the current one, in that it raised issues "comradely" and never disorganised meetings or insulted leaders.

"Only those who don't have the ANC in their blood will do so [boycott an ANC conference]; only those who don't understand and believe in the ANC," Zuma told delegates in his closing remarks at the ANC Free State conference.

Zuma said like the youth of the 1950s, it was important to know the role of the ANCYL and not for its current leaders to create a new role that never existed.

"They never attempted to shape the ANC outside there ... in slogans and meetings that you cannot describe," he said.

Zuma was referring to a Saturday rally organised by the ANCYL in Bethlehem. The league boycotted the elective conference that took place in incumbent chair Ace Magashule's hometown, Parys, claiming it was illegitimate.

He paid condolences to the families of those who died in a bus crash returning from "this gathering of some sort".

He said "those comrades would have came back and the chair (Magashule) would have engaged and persuaded them, showed them the way in how the ANC leads and lives".

"I'm not certain whether the youth of today is anything that inspires."

Zuma said each generation of youth carved its own niche, adding that the youth of today had a critical duty to defend the gains of the Struggle. "That is the task, I can't understand any other task."

In an oblique attack on expelled youth league president Julius Malema, Zuma

said: "The ANC must discipline anyone equally, those who think they can bend around the Constitution for their own selfish ends must be dealt with."

Malema was expelled for sowing division within the party, after comments he made on toppling the Botswana government, among other charges.

Zuma gave the Free State conference his blessings, saying it was convened constitutionally, criticising those who differed as conducting themselves in an "un-ANC" way.

He said the ANC leadership had gone through a meticulous process of addressing complaints by individuals and branches, to the extent of postponing the conference at least three times. "I am very happy that Free State held its conference. It was within the parameters of the ANC constitution," he said.

Zuma has the backing of Magashule for his bid to be re-elected ANC president in Mangaung in December. - Nhlabathih@sowetan.co za

Comments

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Sun May 19 12:04:31 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 25, 2012

MissBhakajuju

so anyone who criticises Shawa is unti ANC ? and Magashule is a comrade since he's praising him. micky mouse politics, lol

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Jun 25, 2012

RobinH

Much as I find the ANCYL confused and directionless - apart from the inane worship of the man in Purple, and downright irritating, even they are a few steps ahead of the ANC leadership, in that they, at least, are not robbing the country blind as you and your coven of mates have been doing / are doing, dearest Leader.
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Jun 25, 2012

Dandan

Yes for sure time to be sympatheitic with SA people must come to an end, we need to try a little bit to strenght fits
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Jun 25, 2012

Makhosini0408

After all, they are factory faults following the current leadership of the ANC. By the way, they ensured that you came victorius in Polokwane. What has changed Mr President?
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Jun 25, 2012

Leutler

ZUMA 'S BEHAVIOUR IS UN-ANC, THIS IS NOT WHAT MANDELA, TAMBO AND SISULU FOUGHT FOR, THIS IS NOT LEGACY LEFT BY PRES. MBEKI, WE ARE LOST WITH ZUMA, ANCESTORS PLEASE HELP US TO REMOVE HIM IN MANGAUNG
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Jun 25, 2012

truthhurt

Zuma and the ANCYL will only meet on Facebook, The ANCLY made it clear where they stand as far as Zuma is concerned.
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Jun 25, 2012

Papage

I think De Klerk must come back, put Blacks back were they belong, they can't run the country periods, Zuma is so childish
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Jun 25, 2012

RobinH

Dandan: "Yes for sure time to be sympatheitic with SA people must come to an end, we need to try a little bit to strenght fits" WHAT??? Can we try that again in intelligible English please? What we have here makes absolutely no sense.

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Jun 25, 2012

Ratoza

Like father like son I guess, JZ you should start thinking with your head not your spear. Step down baba to avoid more embarassment.
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Jun 25, 2012

Dandan

Leutler

never, zuma has support too more than your Malema camp we are nt going to buy face for you what you saw in the last NEC its what you wil get in Mangaung, last you kept on telling us about NEC , the NEC came and gone now you tell us about Mangaung , mcxxxm
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