Michelle Pietersen and Marianne Merten
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema’s fate, and that of his executive, rests with the ANC’s top six officials, who will decide whether to accept the league’s apology and retraction of what the mother body regards as a politically embarrassing call for a regime change in Botswana.
That is the outcome of yesterday morning’s meeting of officials, who decided not to refer the matter to the ANC national working committee meeting later yesterday.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said officials would continue discussing the matter and there was no deadline to finalise the talks.
The youth league’s apology on Saturday came nearly two weeks after it vowed to stand by its intention to mobilise opposition to Ian Khama’s government, which it described as a “puppet regime”.
Officially, the ANCYL had no comment yesterday. Its spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, said the youth league would not know what had been discussed by the ANC officials.
However, an ANCYL national executive committee (NEC) member, who requested anonymity, said the ANC could not take action just against Malema as the whole executive had first endorsed the establishment of a Botswana command team, then the apology and retraction.
“The Botswana issue is closed. The youth league has apologised. It’s finished. The worst the ANC can do is command us to apologise to our neighbours,” said the ANCYL NEC member. “My honest prediction is that the ANC won’t take disciplinary action – they’ll probably have internal political discussions but it won’t get to the point of dismissals, suspensions. I firmly doubt it.”
With the focus squarely on the ANC top six handling the matter, it was likely there could be a 50:50 split.
President Jacob Zuma has become the target of youth league criticism, both veiled and direct
, as has ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
One who may stand up for the ANCYL could be ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa.
ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe may be more circumspect. He has played his cards close to his chest, but the youth league last month praised him on his birthday as “one of the most outstanding leaders of the ANC amongst his generation”.
It is understood that ANC chairwoman Baleka Mbete would not necessarily support action, while deputy secretary-general Thandi Modise might.