‘Why can’t Thuli Madonsela leave and shut up?’
Name-calling and a slew of insults were the order of the day when perceived “enemies” of the ANC Youth League came under fire.
|||Durban - Name-calling and a slew of insults were the order of the day when perceived “enemies” of the ANC Youth League came under fire at the eThekwini regional congress in Durban on Sunday.
ANCYL deputy president, Desmond Moela, launched scathing attacks on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, former public protector Thuli Madonsela and ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu.
The trio have proven unpopular within the league, with some in the youth body’s leadership hitting out at them at any given opportunity.
Sunday was no different, when Moela tore into them in his speech that touched on a wide range of issues.
Not only was Madonsela deemed to be in need a boyfriend to keep herself occupied, but Gordhan was called an “old, retired old man”, while Mthembu was described as being always drunk, and spoke without a mandate.
Addressing delegates to the congress held at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College, Moela said young people should occupy centre stage when stability was brought to the ANC.
“When the ANC was in crisis, the young blood of this generation of ANCYL came and rescued the ANC. We say the ANC is in crisis, so why can’t we respond to anarchy?”
In taking a swipe at Mthembu, Moela referred to the ANC parliamentary chief whip as an always drunk “Jackson Jack Daniels’ Mthembu”.
“Whenever he wants to speak, he passes by the bar, speaks without a mandate,” he said.
“We must tell Jackson Jack Daniels’ Mthembu we are not afraid of him. We will face him with anarchy if he wants to see how the young people of South Africa look like,” Moela said.
Mthembu recently drew flak from the league after he had discussed in public that the entire ANC national executive committee (NEC) should step down.
Next on the firing line was Gordhan, whom Moela referred to as Gordon’s Gin’, a type of liquor.
He said the finance minister was not God, and should be subjected to the laws of South Africa. “We are saying as ANCYL that old, retired man must get inner peace. He must also face the law,” he said.
The league had been critical of Gordhan when the Hawks wanted him to give a warning statement, along with former SA Revenue Service executives Ivan Pillay and Oupa Magushula.
However, Moela reserved most of his insults for Madonsela.
“Can Thuli Madonsela have inner peace and leave that Office of Public Protector. We have got a new public protector,” he said.
“Why can’t Thuli Madonsela leave that office and shut up?” Moela asked.
He also said the former public protector should “get a boyfriend, please”.
“Comrades, those who have strength, try your luck. We are begging you because she has nothing to keep her busy.
“She must have a boyfriend to keep her busy. Once she has a boyfriend, that boyfriend will keep her busy,” he said, to laughter.
The Sunday Independent reported on Sunday that Collen Maine had again attacked Madonsela, labelling her a “popcorn” at the same congress on Saturday.
Moela also defended their support for AU chairwoman, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, to be the next ANC leader at the 2017 conference, and for President Jacob Zuma to finish his presidential term.
“In KZN, somebody out there must become president of the ANC come 2017. President Zuma will be president of our country until 2019. There is no ambiguity,” Moela said.
In an apparent call for an uncontested slate, ANCYL provincial secretary, Thanduxolo Sabelo, said the ANC’s conference to be held next year should be different to those held in Polokwane and Mangaung.
“It can no longer have a conferences similar to the previous two, which were marred by heavy contestation, which saw splinter groups come out of the ANC,” Sabelo said.
The regional congress elected Tembo Ntuli as chairman, Mfana Qwabe as his deputy, Thinta Cibane as secretary, Siyabonga Tango as his deputy and Philisiwe Mbatha as treasurer.
Daily News