ANCYL, Sabelo face fine

ANC Youth League provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo says he did “everything within (his) power” to try to restore order at the memorial service held for Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, earlier this year.

“In the prevailing circumstances, I did my best to maintain and dissuade unruly elements in attendance at the memorial service,” Sabelo said in papers filed in the Durban High Court last week.

“I admit that Dr Zweli Mkhize was interrupted but I dispute that I did absolutely nothing to calm and control the situation. As far as I’m concerned I did everything within my power.”

Sabelo was responding to a bid by the organisers of the memorial, the Active Citizens Movement (ACM), to have him and the league found in contempt of court.

In March, Judge Rashid Vahed granted the ACM an urgent interdict preventing league members from disrupting the proceedings.

Despite this, on the day of the service, a rowdy crowd of people – in ANCYL T-shirts – heckled and booed speakers including former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and Mkhize.

Now the ACM wants Sabelo and the league fined a total of R150000, payable to a charitable cause, and for public apologies to be printed in major newspapers.

Sabelo said in his papers that he “sincerely commend(ed)” the ACM for hosting the service.

In its application, the ACM said that a few days before the service, Sabelo and the league had threatened to disrupt the event and remove from the stage anyone who criticised the ANC or President Jacob Zuma.

But Sabelo denied the threat.