ANCYL won’t bow to pressure
ACM demands apology for disrupting memorial
THE ANC Youth League will not be “pressured” into apologising, nor is it afraid of court action over its alleged role in the “unlawful disruption” of the Ahmed Kathrada memorial service.
This was the league’s response to the ultimatum it received from the Active Citizens Movement (ACM), demanding an “unconditional and unequivocal” apology.
The civil organisation, comprising members of mainly former anti-apartheid activists based in Kwazulunatal and Gauteng, gave the league until 4pm yesterday to apologise, after which they would face legal action.
The ACM had handled the Joburg and Durban legs of the Kathrada memorial.
Before last Sunday’s ceremony at Durban’s Sastri College, the ACM tried in vain to secure a last-minute high court application to prevent the league’s supporters from attending the event.
However, a court ruled that the league’s supporters should refrain from disrupting the gathering.
When they spoke, former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and the ANC’S Treasurer-general, Zweli Mkhize, were interrupted.
The boos and heckling that rang out in the packed venue forced both Gordhan and Mkhize to abandon their speeches.
The ACM’S attorney, Viren Singh, asked the ANCYL to make an official apology to Kathrada’s family, the ACM and the citizens of the country for disrupting the Struggle Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and the ANC’S Sihle Zikalala at Ahmed Kathrada’s memorial. Gordhan was heckled by some in the crowd. icon’s memorial service.
Singh asked the league to publish their apology in the form of paid advertisements in the Sunday Tribune, Sunday Times, Daily News and Mercury newspapers.
If the ANCYL failed to meet the deadline, Singh said he would institute court proceedings on behalf of his clients.
“We will respond in due course after our legal team has studied the letter from the ACM, but we will not be pressured into a response,” said Thanduxolo Sabelo, the league’s secretary, who is listed as a respondent in the matter.
“We don’t have a problem with any court action because we will respond when we are ready to do so.”
Sabelo said, as far as they knew, the ANCYL members were not the only people who caused disruptions at the memorial service.
“There were others who were disturbing speakers. So we have decided to first investigate by looking at video footage to identify who caused the disruptions.
“We don’t know every member by name. Our KZN branch has over 86 000 registered members.
“One thing was clear: The leadership of the league attempted to restore order,” Sabelo said.
Veteran Struggle stalwart, Dr Dilly Naidoo, said the “value system” of the ANC had changed.
“What happened on Sunday was not a first for the ANC; it also happens at branch meetings,” he said.
“Because of factions within the party, people are killing each other,” said Naidoo, who became the secretary of the revived NIC in 1972.
“If Uncle Kathy was here, he too would have been booed because of the letter he penned asking President Jacob Zuma to resign.”