I am a proud member of the ANC. When hooligans were instigated to heckle Thabo Mbeki at the burial of Moses Mabhida, I and others stood for the truth.

Unapologetically we testified that the embarrassing action was well planned, not only to embarrass Thabo Mbeki, but even the ANC, SACP, Cosatu and Mabhida himself. No one was charged.

One hooligan burnt an ANC T-shirt with Mbeki's face on it, but despite the existence of TV footage no one was charged.

In Utrecht former deputy president Phumzile-Mlambo Ngcuka was abused, yet no person was summoned to the disciplinary committee. Bottles of urine were thrown at KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sbusiso Ndebele and again no one was charged.

Some of our leaders call those who join the Congress of the People "snakes", "dogs", "dying horses", "worms" and all sorts of derogatory names. Recently Julius Malema said, "every youth must be at the gate of the branch and anyone who sees a Shikota must make it run".

Such threats come from a "changed" young man. At the height of apartheid I was a member of Azaso and the South African Youth Congress, but I never used such violent and intimidating statements as those uttered by Malema in a democratic South Africa.

Despite harassment by the Special Branch because of our activism, we managed to get both junior and post-graduate degrees.

All of us in the ANC who believe in the Freedom Charter and the Constitution must publicly condemn the disruption of meetings of any party, including Cope.

This is primitive, barbaric, backward and against the values JL Dube, Josiah Gumede, Chief Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki stood for. Any ANC leader who encourages such activities must face the ANC DC.

As a genuine member of this glorious movement, I will refuse to be manipulated by any ANC leader or member to disrupt any political meeting.

Siyanda Mhlongo,

KwaDukuza