The African National Congress on Tuesday decided to move the venue of ANC Youth league president Julius Malema’s disciplinary hearing from Luthuli House in Johannesburg to an undisclosed location somewhere outside the central business district, and possibly the city.
The decision comes after a day of violent clashes between members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and supporters of the controversial youth leader on the streets surrounding the ANC’s headquarters.
“We won’t be announcing the venue, but we’ll take this outside the CBD. We believe the people of Johannesburg have the right to use their city,” ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told reporters at a special briefing at Luthuli House on Tuesday evening.
Mantashe did hint at the possibility of moving the hearing to a rural area that will be free of the busyness experienced in big cities.
Dustbins were overturned, small fires were started and SAPS members and journalists were pelted with stones and glass bottles by the estimated 1 500 Malema supporters who gathered outside the building on Tuesday morning.
Mantashe reiterated that those responsible for organising the assembled crowds will be held to account for the violence experienced.
“When it comes to the storming of the Bastille, we have to say that if you invite people to gather and mobilise you must take responsibility for their actions,” said Mantashe.
Speaking to the Mail & Guardian, the ANC Youth League’s spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy condemned the clashes, but did not say the league would allow itself to be held responsible.
“At no point will we allow a situation where any who associated with the ANC or the ANCYL bring the mother body into disrepute — we must be able to remove the wheat from the chaff here. We condemn this and we won’t take accountability for anything that is associated with violence,” Moonsamy said.
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