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Ramaphosa addresses ANCYL crowd from top of van after complaints about original venue

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa addresses Youth League members in Polokwane.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa addresses Youth League members in Polokwane.
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times

President Cyril Ramaphosa was forced to deliver the Peter Mokaba memorial lecture from the top of a van after ANC Youth League (ANCYL) members allegedly tried to storm into the venue scheduled for the event.

The memorial lecture, organised by the league, was supposed to be held at the Polokwane council chambers in Limpopo. The event was delayed after members protested about limited access to the hall.

When Ramaphosa arrived he attempted to go greet league members stationed outside the perimeter of the venue but was stopped by his protection service members.

He was taken into the venue but quickly came out and climbed on top of the van and began addressing the crowd.

Speaking to TimesLIVE on the sidelines of the event, Sinazo Tshingana, an ANCYL member from Mpumalanga, said they were adamant Ramaphosa must address all of them and not the selected few granted access to the venue.

“We are young people. He must address us. We didn’t leave our provinces to be congested inside a hall. He must address us from where we are. He must come to us,” Tshingana said.

“You can’t call young people from all over and not address them.”

League members said they were happy Ramaphosa “adhered to their demands” and addressed them. 

“We are happy he actually addressed us because it was going to lead to storming of the venue,” one said.

TimesLIVE


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