Alex Matlala

The unacceptable behaviour of some members of the ANC Youth League during gatherings such as memorial services and funerals has become a national crisis.

As a result, the ANCYL will conduct a political education programme next month to educate its members about acceptable behaviour.

Newly-appointed ANCYL president Julius Malema said yesterday that the conduct of some of their members "leaves much to be desired".

He said it was appropriate now for the youth league to educate the members that there were ways of showing their concerns rather than by shouting and resorting to violence.

Malema said that young people who had just joined the league were among the majority of those behaving in an unacceptable manner.

He said these new members knew very little about the ANC's policies and culture.

Malema was speaking after concerns were raised about the conduct of some youth league members at conferences, funerals and memorial services throughout the country.

A typical example of such events was during the funeral of Norman Mashabane, the former South African ambassador to Indonesia, who was killed in a car accident near Meropa Casino in Polokwane last year.

Mashabane's funeral service, which was held at Phalaborwa Rugby Stadium, was turned into a political campaign by some youth league members for the candidates they favoured to take over the leadership of the ANC after the Polokwane conference.