NATIONAL leaders of the ANC have ordered their Limpopo counterparts to act against the Youth League leaders for allegedly sanctioning the printing of T-shirts bearing the face of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
The action comes after league members were seen wearing the T-shirts - boldly declaring "Motlanthe for President" - at the organisation's centenary celebrations at Nkowankowa Stadium outside Tzaneen on Sunday.
Motlanthe addressed the celebration together with expelled league president Julius Malema and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.
ANC spokesman Keith Khoza yesterday told Sowetan that Luthuli House had instructed provincial leaders to act against league leaders.
"The nomination process and succession debate will only be opened in October.
"The ANC in Limpopo should act decisively on the matter. We cannot allow a situation where members do as they wish because this type of behaviour amounts to ill discipline," he said.
But the ANC leadership in Limpopo does not see anything wrong with the printing of the T-shirts.
ANC provincial spokesman Makonde Mathivha said there was nothing wrong with people expressing their feelings about who they prefer as their leader.
"As long as they do not canvass for Motlanthe within party structures or in the branches, who knows, maybe the T-shirts where printed some five years back after the withdrawal of former president Thabo Mbeki when Motlanthe was caretaker president.
"There is no ruling that says members may not wear T-shirts printed five or 10 years ago," Mathivha said.
Youth League provincial secretary Jacob Lebogo yesterday rejected the allegations.
"Our investigations have revealed that the T-shirts where printed by individuals. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of individuals and their egos," Lebogo said.
Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi said the fact that the official succession debate and nomination only starts in October did not mean the battle for leadership change had not started.
"I believe the deputy president is just trying to be smart. The reason he made his intension clear about the T-shirts bearing his name does not mean he does not harbour intensions to contest Zuma," Matshiqi said.
Wearing of Motlanthe T-shirt results in party 'broedertwis'
NATIONAL leaders of the ANC have ordered their Limpopo counterparts to act against the Youth League leaders for allegedly sanctioning the printing of T-shirts bearing the face of Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.
The action comes after league members were seen wearing the T-shirts - boldly declaring "Motlanthe for President" - at the organisation's centenary celebrations at Nkowankowa Stadium outside Tzaneen on Sunday.
Motlanthe addressed the celebration together with expelled league president Julius Malema and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.
ANC spokesman Keith Khoza yesterday told Sowetan that Luthuli House had instructed provincial leaders to act against league leaders.
"The nomination process and succession debate will only be opened in October.
"The ANC in Limpopo should act decisively on the matter. We cannot allow a situation where members do as they wish because this type of behaviour amounts to ill discipline," he said.
But the ANC leadership in Limpopo does not see anything wrong with the printing of the T-shirts.
ANC provincial spokesman Makonde Mathivha said there was nothing wrong with people expressing their feelings about who they prefer as their leader.
"As long as they do not canvass for Motlanthe within party structures or in the branches, who knows, maybe the T-shirts where printed some five years back after the withdrawal of former president Thabo Mbeki when Motlanthe was caretaker president.
"There is no ruling that says members may not wear T-shirts printed five or 10 years ago," Mathivha said.
Youth League provincial secretary Jacob Lebogo yesterday rejected the allegations.
"Our investigations have revealed that the T-shirts where printed by individuals. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of individuals and their egos," Lebogo said.
Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi said the fact that the official succession debate and nomination only starts in October did not mean the battle for leadership change had not started.
"I believe the deputy president is just trying to be smart. The reason he made his intension clear about the T-shirts bearing his name does not mean he does not harbour intensions to contest Zuma," Matshiqi said.
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