/ 5 September 2016

Five noteworthy quotes from the #OccupyLuthuliHouse protest

Five Noteworthy

Although The #OccupyLuthuliHouse protest didn’t go as planned, some interesting comments were made by the anti-Zuma faction’s members as well as those of the opposing #DefendLuthuliHouse camp. The ANC faction, which seeks the resignation of President Jacob Zuma as the party’s leader, had intended to occupy the party’s Luthuli House headquarters on Monday but could not as the building was guarded by uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) members. Here are the five noteworthy comments that were made about #OccupyLuthuliHouse.


“It’s business as usual”
ANC Youth League president Collen Maine said “It’s business as usual” as #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters gathered outside the party’s headquarters on Monday.

“We were told that those cowards are no longer coming. We are not deterred by this act of counter-revolution. It’s unfortunate that they are using our colours. Some of them are not members of the ANC, we know they include the opposition,” he claimed.

“We’re just following Zuma’s orders to protect the ANC at all costs.”
Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans head Kebby Maphatsoe said he was impressed with the showing of the veterans as they stood outside the party’s Luthuli House headquarters on Monday, “defending” them from #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters .

“This is not provocation; in fact this is a good show of force that will show all South Africans that if you want to attack the ANC, uMkhonto we Sizwe will rise to the occasion,” Maphatsoe said.

“We are implementing those instructions by the president, at all times military veterans will be at the forefront of the defending the ANC and its leadership.”

“This is like the lead-up to Marikana.”
Former ANC Youth League deputy president Ronald Lamola, who is also one of the leaders of #OccupyLuthuliHouse, likened the heavy police presence outside ANC headquarters in response to the events that led up to the Marikana killings in 2012.

“[It’s shocking that] the ANC would allow the serious kind of abuse of state power and security, because those were the kinds of scenes seen before people were massacred in Marikana,” Lamola said.

He also expressed disappointment in the ANC Women’s League for labelling those who were behind the occupy movement as “cowards”.

“[It is] shocking that such a statement can come from our mothers – we are risking our lives and unemployment. Some have been threatened with economic sanctions and harassment, so how do you call such people cowards?”

“Don’t give #OccupyLuthuliHouse ‘hooligans’ free airtime.”
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe pleaded with party members from the #DefendLuthuliHouse faction, who were “defending” their headquarters from #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters, to refrain from violence.

“Do not give them publicity, allow this to fizzle out. Do not give them airtime, they must pay for their airtime,” Mantashe told supporters shortly after receiving a memorandum from the #OccupyLuthuliHouse camp,” Mantashe said.

Some members of the ANC had attempted to stop Mantashe from receiving the memorandum, but the secretary general discouraged the attempt, saying the ANC had always allowed people to freely express themselves.

“If we allow the ANC to be swallowed by certain groups – then we will have no organisation. You are depriving the ANC from hearing the simple voices by blocking these people from giving their memorandum,” he said.

“We are very happy we are influencing them.”
EFF leader Julius Malema applauded #OccupyLuthuliHouse protesters for organising the protest against the ANC and for “standing up for their rights”.

Malema said the protesters were influenced by the EFF.

“We are very happy we are influencing them. Remember, it’s the EFF that teaches fearlessness. We are happy that we continue to influence them, and the ANC cowards are beginning to learn a few things from the EFF,” Malema said.