Johannesburg metro police closed roads on Monday morning in anticipation of the gathering of ANC Youth League members outside Luthuli House ahead of Tuesday’s disciplinary hearing against their top leaders.
“Police are on duty outside Luthuli House,” said Johannesburg metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar.
The disciplinary hearing against African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema and a number of his colleagues was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, but supporters were expected to start arriving at the ruling party’s headquarters in Sauer Street on Monday.
Minnaar said Sauer street had been closed on Monday morning between President and Pritchard streets, and President Street was also closed where it crossed Sauer Street.
By 8am on Monday, no supporters were yet in evidence. Minnaar said the police may re-open the streets later in the morning.
ANCYL spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy said she could not say how many supporters were expected.
Show of support
“It is at the discretion of the membership. If they want to arrive today [Monday], they are at liberty to do so. There are many that will be there during the night for a night vigil. They are showing support for the leadership.”
Malema faces charges alongside Floyd Shivambu, the league’s spokesperson, deputy president Ronald Lamola, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, his deputy, Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer general Pule Mabe.
The charges include bringing the party into disrepute and sowing divisions in the ranks of the party.
Malema recently said the league would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change, as it believed the government there was “in full cooperation with imperialists” and was undermining the “African agenda”.
The youth league was publicly rebuked by the ANC for this and then apologised, but ANCYL national executive member Lerato Mofokeng at the weekend said the league still called for a freer and more democratic society in Botswana.
She indicated that the ANC youth movement’s apology in this regard was more for the “media” and that the movement stood by its statement.
Only Malema and Shivambu were charged at first, but the four other leaders’ names were added to the charge sheet last week.
The league was reportedly hoping to argue in Malema’s defence that he was communicating a resolution of the ANCYL national executive committee and therefore the entire body should be charged, not just the president.
Last year, Malema pleaded guilty in an ANC disciplinary hearing after he publicly criticised President Jacob Zuma.
The national disciplinary committee at the time said that should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his membership of the ANC would be suspended. – Sapa