ANCYL acts against ‘racist’ leader
A woman is heard instructing people not to recruit Africans
THE ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal is pursuing disciplinary action against a leader of one of its structures for allegedly using a racial slur and advocating for Africans to be blocked from being recruited into the league’s structures in Chatsworth, south of Durban.
Before the dust had even settled on ANCYL eThekwini regional executive committee additional member and Chatsworth Ward 73 secretary Suzanne Govender’s alleged use of the K-word, a recording emerged of her allegedly instructing another branch leader not to recruit Africans from Welbedacht, near Chatsworth.
In the recording, a woman, alleged to be Govender, is heard instructing people she refers to as Jarad and Jonathan not to recruit Africans to the league structure.
The chairperson of the ANCYL in Chatsworth’s Ward 73 is Jarad Naicker and the ward’s ANCYL secretary is Jonathan Naicker.
In the recording, the woman is heard saying: “Maybe you think you can control the branch at the moment because the Indians are giving you problems... let me tell you something, your Indians are Indians. They’ll still stand there with you, they’ll still sort your problems out and they’ll still work with you, but you’re giving these other people a chance – they’re going to cut your throat because they know politics and they’re very influential at the moment.”
She goes on to say: “So I’m advising the both of you – that’s why I wanted to speak to Jonathan, because Jonathan controls the membership – do not recruit African people from Welbedacht, you’re heading for trouble.”
ANCYL KZN chairperson Kwazi Mshengu said racism had no place or space in the league in whatever form it manifested itself and from whichever person, be it an African, Indian or white.
Mshengu said they had agreed with the league in eThekwini region to summarily suspend Govender; however, eThekwini ANCYL region spokesperson Thulisa Ndlela said Govender had resigned and they would no longer be charging her.
Mshengu said they had not received Govender’s formal resignation, but even if she had resigned in the regional executive committee in eThekwini, as long as she was a member of the league she would have to face a disciplinary committee.