/ 2 February 2014

DA gets tongue lashing during YCLA celebrations

ANC provincial chairman has called the DA a confused party trying to buy a new president.
ANC provincial chairman has called the DA a confused party trying to buy a new president.

Speakers addressing the Young Communist League of SA's 10th anniversary celebrations in Sharpeville on Sunday described the Democratic Alliance as a confused party trying to buy a president.

The DA had nothing to offer South Africans, the SA Communist Party said.

"DA and Agang SA have nothing to offer other than gimmicks," said SACP deputy national chairman Thulas Nxesi.

"Swallowing up Agang to have a credible leader will not help."

Agang SA leader Mamphela Ramphele was announced last week as the presidential candidate for the DA.

Nxesi accused Ramphele of being a traitor for uniting with the DA.

"She betrayed her role in the Black Consciousness movement to be a black token. Steve Biko must be turning in his grave," he said.

"Run DA run" 
African National Congress provincial chairman Paul Mashatile said the DA was a confused organisation.

"Any organisation that does not know who its president is, is already defeated," he said.

He urged supporters to rally behind the ANC and ensure victory in the upcoming elections. They should trample on the DA.

"Run DA run. Especially now that they are confused because they don't know who is their president. They are trying to buy one," he said.

Mashatile told the party's deputy secretary general Jesse Duarte that Gauteng was ready for the elections and would ensure the party emerged victorious.

Cosatu dealing with challenges
Congress of SA Trade Unions president Sdumo Dlamini took the time to explain that the trade union federation was dealing with its problems.

"Cosatu may be going through challenges but… we are busy dealing with them," he said.

He said there were attempts to harm Cosatu both internally and externally but they would not succeed.

"We shall not fear. We shall continue to stand for the principles of this federation without fear," he said.

Dlamini told the people who had gathered at the rally at the George Thabe stadium that no member of the federation should attempt to march to Cosatu House.

"There can be no Cosatu union to march to Cosatu House. Cosatu cannot march to itself," he said.

Dlamini said the same could be said about the ANC's headquarters, Luthuli House.

ANC manifesto no empty promise
Duarte told supporters that the party's manifesto was not an empty promise.

"We are making a promise to the youth. We want to have 75 percent of procurement from South African companies to create more jobs."

She said the party was committed to assisting students with financial aid in order for them to complete their studies.

The rally was interrupted by rain. Supporters left the stadium while people were speaking, to seek shelter in the buses they came with.

YCLSA national secretary Buti Manamela could not deliver his address and said the message would be posted on the YCLSA website for all to read.

After the rain had stopped, some of the crowd went back. –Sapa