President Jacob Zuma on Thursday called for law enforcement agencies in South Africa to take action against those involved in trashing property during the violent protest in support of embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.
The youth leader is facing disciplinary action for bringing the party into disrepute, causing divisions, and storming the ANC senior officials’ meeting together with his fellow youth league officials.
Speaking to the media in Oslo, Norway, where he was concluding his two-day state visit, Zuma first expressed reluctance to comment on “issues that are happening at home” but quickly responded.
“I have been saying to security forces those who are involved in this must face the might of the law,” said Zuma.
The violent protest forced businesses and banks around the ANC headquarters Luthuli House to close as supporters of the youth leader trashed things and burned ANC flags and T-shirts bearing Zuma’s image.
“We don’t accept it [the damaging of property] I don’t think it augurs well with democracy. As much as we say everyone has got the right to freedom of expression it does not give permission to trash things”.
The Times newspaper reported on Wednesday that the pro-Malema protest could have cost the City of Johannesburg between R30- and R50-million in one day in damages and loss of business.
Zuma, who is also ruling ANC president, expressed his views in an interview normally given exclusively to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
This time though, other journalists were allowed to sit in during the interview. While his aides tried their best before the interview to block questions related to Malema and the events that took place at Luthuli House, the question was unavoidable.
“They must stop this because they have to respect people’s belongings,” Zuma added. “We should not trample on other people’s rights. We must respect other people and respect the law”.
The ANC is expected to give feedback on Friday on Malema’s hearing, including his application to have all charges against him dropped altogether.
His right-hand man, the ANC Youth League’s national spokesperson Floyd Shivambu will appear separately at a date still to be announced and Malema’s top officials would follow suit.
Zuma will be back in South Africa on Friday and is likely to face many questions about Malema and the charges he’s facing, which some in the ANC believe are an attempt to silence the youth league leader before next year’s leadership elective congress.
Malema’s youth league is campaigning to vote Zuma out at the end of his term, with hopes of replacing him with his current deputy Kgalema Motlanthe.
For more news and multimedia on ANC Youth League president Julius Malema click here.
