ANC and its youth league clash over Botswana

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress ANC and its youth league have gone head-to-head after the party charged all five members of the youth wing’s leadership with prejudicing the integrity and reputation of the party. 

Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

The African National Congress has spurned efforts by its young lions to find a political solution to the charges it has laid against the party’s youth league leadership.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe says the party's four-day national executive meeting last weekend complained about a lack of discipline and directed party structures to act against disruptive elements.

But the charges against fiery youth wing leader Julius Malema and his colleagues were not discussed.

Mantashe says the party’s failure to act against all forms of ill-discipline will result in its losing respect nationally, regionally and internationally.

The charges against Malema and other young league leaders arise from their advocating a regime change in neighbouring Botswana.

The youth wing holds this is a political issue and wrote to party headquarters requesting negotiations with the party executives.

The youth league called on its members to support Malema and other leaders who are being persecuted for championing free education and the nationalisation of mines.

Mantashe says the party won’t tolerate anyone using nationalisation – which is not official ANC policy - to jockey for power.