Outrage over ‘mischievous’ ANCYL call
THE ANC Youth League in the Western Cape has slammed some of its members who issued a statement contradicting its leadership’s call for Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana to be sacked.
On Friday‚ the league issued a strongly worded statement calling for President Jacob Zuma to sack Manana from his post as deputy higher education and training minister.
“The ANCYL will not support our former ANCYL NEC member‚ Deputy Minister Manana‚ after he assaulted a woman,” the statement said.
“His actions are a slap in the face of our movement’s campaign to end violence against women‚ especially young women.”
The Western Cape league was troubled by Manana’s inconsiderate response and his justification that he had acted after extreme provocation.
Manana is facing charges after he allegedly assaulted a woman at a Johannesburg night club last Sunday at about 3am.
The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Manana’s staff said he was the “boss from hell” who threw tantrums‚ blackmailed and abused his staff.
The league said on Friday: “We cannot have members of the executive acting with impunity. They must be an example to society – and clearly Deputy Minister Manana has failed.
“Furthermore‚ his allegation that he was provoked by a homophobic slur is shocking, an insult to our constitution and must be condemned.”
However‚ on Saturday‚ a new statement attributed to the party’s chairman‚ Mohammed Khalid Sayed‚ provincial secretary Andile Mbali and spokesman Siyabulela Tom surfaced on Facebook.
It disputed that the league had called for Manana’s sacking, as it had not met for months.
It said: “It is true that we are troubled by his inconsiderate response and his justification that he acted after extreme provocation. But our stand on the matter is to condemn violence against women and accept the apology of Comrade Mdu.”
But Sayed yesterday dismissed that statement‚ saying it was forged and was a work of mischievous individuals.
“We don’t know who is the author of that socalled statement,” Sayed said.
“We are appealing to the president to remove Manana. He is a disgrace as a deputy minister.”