The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) walked out of a meeting with the Inkatha Freedom Party on Monday, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) president Mangosuthu Buthelezi said in Durban.
“They walked out on me. It’s an insult to myself and the people of South Africa. When I called the media for the briefing to begin they said they would not be part of it,” said Buthelezi addressing the media in Durban.
On Monday the ANCYL in KwaZulu-Natal and Buthelezi held a meeting and were expected to present joint media briefing.
Buthelezi said that on December 1 he received a letter from the provincial ANCYL secretary Bheki Mtolo requesting a meeting.
The letter stated that the provincial youth wing wanted to meet with Buthelezi to discuss campaigning for the local government election.
It also stated that ANCYL president Julius Malema wanted to reconcile for the past. Malema was not present in the meeting.
In the past Malema had called Buthelezi a “factory fault”.
No apology
During the 2009 election Malema also said he would go to Buthelezi’s house at KwaPhindagene and campaign in his back yard, recruiting his wife and children.
Mtolo on the other hand had called Buthelezi a dictator and compared him to Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe.
“Mtolo did not apologise. He said to recruit people you say things you don’t mean — I do not know if I would accept another meeting. I don’t want to react emotionally,” said Buthelezi.
Buthelezi said the youth league delegation did not prepare anything in writing or produce a presentation for the meeting. They spoke off the cuff.
He said he did not ask for an apology from either Mtolo or Malema.
Once the media had been briefed in the IFP offices, the ANCYL called their own press briefing outside the IFP offices.
Mthandeni Dlungwane, ANCYL provincial chairperson, said the youth league stood by statements made by Malema and would not retract them.
IFP needs leadership education
“We did not have to apologise. We are disappointed in the meeting. During the meeting we were given a pile of papers and issues he had with the ANC. We can’t say there is something we have achieved,” said Dlungwane.
Dlungwane said the youth league did not get an opportunity to engage with Buthelezi politically.
He told journalists it was an achievement for the youth league to meet the IFP in its own headquarters.
Mtolo said the IFP needed to be educated on leadership skills.
“It was impacting service delivery in our country that many councillors were fired from the IFP,” said Mtolo.
Dlungwane said the ANC would continue to engage with the IFP, and Malema was expected to visit Buthelezi’s home in January. — Sapa