African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson Pule Mabe says strong action must be taken against members of the Free State ANC Youth League’s Fezile Dabi region who have invited members to sign up for youth military training.
The league says the training is aimed at fighting gender-based violence and human trafficking.
Deputy regional secretary of the league in the region Thabo Baleni says they did not need to consult with the ANC national leadership of the party or the league on the matter.
But Mabe has rubbished this saying the league members are seeking attention.
“What the structure of the ANCYL must be doing in that province they have got to look at possibilities of referring charges against their own structure in that province.”
“The Youth League has organised its programmes as long as those programmes are legal and are within what the ANC stands for, the youth league is not going to organise a programme that goes against the values of the ANC.”
“It is not going to happen and I have spoken to the provincial secretary of the ANCYL in that province and he has told us already that they have written a letter to their own structure of the ANCYL , we are expecting them to take action and there must not be even suspending they must take action ”
Dear Ntate Kebby we’re ready to lead the youth wing of the MKMVA. Youth to the front.. ANCYL Youth Military Training Camp ✊?? pic.twitter.com/rFxotBv8QZ
— Edgar Legoale (@EdgarLegoale) October 14, 2020
However, the ANC Youth League National Task Team has leapt to the region’s defence.
The Task Team is currently administering the affairs of the ANC Youth League after its disbandment in 2019 as a result of its failure to convene a long-overdue elective conference.
Task Team’s Sizophila Mkhize says the body has spoken to the ANC Youth League region’s leadership who have agreed to retract the invitation and apologise for their conduct.
She says while the Task Team says it does not condone their behaviour, they are amongst those who were simply trying to assist in defending the ANC against racist elements in the Free State town of Senekal.
