/ 5 September 2011

Yes, we sent those buses, says Limpopo youth league

Yes

The ANC Youth League in Limpopo says it paid for buses to take supporters to Julius Malema’s disciplinary hearing, but says it can’t be held responsible for all the violence that ensued.

“We have paid for buses to go and demonstrate support to our leadership,” the league’s provincial chairperson Frans Moswane told the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on Monday.

Hundreds of Julius Malema supporters gathered in the streets of Johannesburg last Tuesday as Juju faced the first day of his disciplinary hearing. Journalists and police were pelted with rocks and other debris, and T-shirts bearing Jacob Zuma’s face were burnt.

He denied that a rampage at Luthuli House in Johannesburg was triggered by a speech by Limpopo provincial secretary Jacob Lebogo.

Protesters at Malema’s hearing reportedly pelted policemen and journalists with stones after Lebogo spoke.

Moswane told the SABC: “It cannot be correct that when there were stones, the stones came from Limpopo. There were stones everywhere.”

Malema, youth league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Masenogi are all facing charges of misconduct.

Malema also faces individual charges of bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing divisions in ANC ranks.

He recently said the youth league would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and to help bring about regime change, as it believed the government there was “in full co-operation with imperialists” and undermining the “African agenda”.

The disciplinary proceedings against the youth league leaders continues on Sunday September 11. — Sapa

For more news and multimedia on ANC Youth League president Julius Malema click here.