Johannesburg - The secretary-general of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula, will not come out and accept a memorandum from DA leader John Steenhuisen at the federal party’s march to Luthuli House in Joburg.
The ANC Youth League’s national organiser, Tlangi Mogale, said the national leaders of the ANC would not entertain the march and would not accept the memorandum from the DA.
Mogale said Mbalula would be present at Luthuli House at the time of the march. The youth league was also expected to protect the ANC’s headquarters from the DA. Before the DA could reach Luthuli House, there were dozens of ANC members with traditional weapons singing and chanting ANC songs.
“No ANC member is going to accept a memorandum from the DA; if they have problems with Eskom, they must march to Megawatt Park. The ANC SG is here on a daily basis, and we want him to continue with that work without being interrupted by white racists. We are busy with issues facing the country; we do not have time with people playing to the gallery,” Mogale said.
Mogale said the march was a provocation and should have been directed elsewhere and not to Luthuli House.
At 9:30am, the DA began its march. Some of its MPs were already waiting for marchers to arrive at Library Gardens, where the DA leaders would address them.
“The ANC Youth League, by its nature, has the responsibility of protecting the gains and the legacy of the ANC. If the DA thinks they have strong views on Eskom, they must present those views to Megawatt Park. Imagine if we had to march to Bruma every day because they are failing in the municipality,” Mogale said.
Mogale said ANC Youth League members had come to the ANC HQ to defend the image of the ANC. She said party members had been told that they had to behave in accordance with the law and not become violent.
“We have said to comrades that this is a peaceful process; the DA cannot march; they sing out of rhythm, and we know that they are going to rent black people to march. We do not want black-on-black violence,” Mogale said.
The Star