BIG LEAP OF FAITH
Malema tells ANC women he won’t go to court
EMBATTLED ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema appeared to be turning to God yesterday, as he attended a gathering of the ANC Women’s League, where he said he knows “women would encourage him to be strong and have faith in God”. Saying he hopes his challenges
“will come and pass”, Malema made his intentions clear that he will take his fight to the ANC’S elective conference in Mangaung if all else fails.
Malema was addressing a meeting of the ANC Women’s League, also attended by deputy minister of higher education and ANCWL treasurer, Hlengiwe Mkhize, and Limpopo premier and ANC provincial chairman Cassel Mathale. The latter is Malema’s strongest ally.
The ANCWL was holding its provincial general council in Polokwane yesterday, which endorsed Malema as an economic freedom fighter.
Malema did not mince his words when he said the ANC was wrong to expel him.
“The ANC was wrong in expelling us for speaking on behalf of the youth. If we have made mistakes, ANC leaders must correct us and not expel us.
“The remaining members of the ANC Youth League must continue with the fight for economic freedom,” he said.
Malema said he believes the challenges he is facing would be resolved in Mangaung in December.
The national conference is the only platform which can overturn the decision to expel him from the party.
Malema, who turned 31 yesterday, was warmly received by the delegates who sang kae kapa kae re ya le wena Malema meaning wherever you go we will be with you.
They presented him with two birthday cakes on which was written Happy birthday economic freedom fighter.
Malema expressed his love for the organisation and said he will not take the ANC to court for expelling him.
He claimed he was charged for something that was done by the secretary of the league, Sindiso Magaqa.
“The secretary of the league read the statement about the need for regime change in Botswana and not me,” he said.
He told the gathering that women are very important to him.
“I know women would encour- age me to be strong and have faith in God, with a hope that my challenges will come and pass,” said a clearly troubled Malema.
Malema will today (Sunday) attend the ANCYL national executive committee meeting which is to discuss his future.
The strategy is to avoid calling a special congress to elect a new president to replace Malema, but to mobilise provinces to show support for him until all the appeal processes have been exhausted.
Since the announcement of his expulsion this week, Malema has 14 days to appeal the sentence to the ANC national disciplinary appeals committee. Should it not overturn the sentence, he can request the ANC NEC to review his sentence.
This will still allow him to take the matter to the ANC conference where delegates can overturn the decision.
Delivering its verdict this week, the NDC was harsh on Malema and suggested that he constituted a threat to the ANC and some of his statements were “tantamount to holding the ANC to ransom”.
He was also accused of raising arguments in his failed appeal which suggested that “the ANC Constitution was unconstitutional”.
The ANC accused him, among others, of reneging on his membership oath and of not respecting the ANC Constitution, even suggesting he was beyond rehabilitation. So far ANC youth structures in the provinces
– except Gauteng – have publicly pledged support for Malema, saying Malema remains their leader and challenged the ANC leaders to expel them too.