News / National
Don't underestimate Malema's power and influence: Tokyo
14 Nov 2011 at 08:46hrs | Views
Mosima Gabriel Sexwale, commonly known as Tokyo Sexwale, is the current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa
Johannesburg - Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale has warned the ANC leadership not to underestimate the power and influence of the youth wing president Julius Malema and his executive, according to a report on Monday.
Sexwale said former ANC president Alfred Xuma was removed from power when he refused to listen to the youth league, the Times reported.
Xuma was ANC president between 1940 and 1949 but was ousted when he fell out of favour with Nelson Mandela's ANC Youth League by flatly refusing to support its proposal for militant action.
He was replaced by a youth league-endorsed candidate, James Moroka, who joined the party only hours before his election.
Sexwale, who testified for Malema during the disciplinary hearings into his conduct, was speaking at a gala dinner in Eastern Cape organised by the Dr AB Xuma Foundation.
'No permanent position in the ANC'
In what appeared to be a thinly veiled attack on President Jacob Zuma, Sexwale warned that no one was guaranteed re-election to a party position, The Times reported.
"There is no permanent position in the ANC. you serve because the people say so," Sexwale warned, before calling for calm and urging the youth league not to confront the ANC about the suspensions of its leaders.
His warning was made as Malema and his executive plan how to reverse the "harsh" suspensions meted out to them by the ANC last week.
The ANC's national disciplinary committee announced last week that Malema had to vacate his position as youth league leader after an effective suspension of five years.
Sexwale reportedly called on the youth league to respect the decisions of the disciplinary committee, just as Xuma accepted his removal.
The league reportedly wants Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to take over from Zuma and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to replace ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Sexwale said former ANC president Alfred Xuma was removed from power when he refused to listen to the youth league, the Times reported.
Xuma was ANC president between 1940 and 1949 but was ousted when he fell out of favour with Nelson Mandela's ANC Youth League by flatly refusing to support its proposal for militant action.
He was replaced by a youth league-endorsed candidate, James Moroka, who joined the party only hours before his election.
Sexwale, who testified for Malema during the disciplinary hearings into his conduct, was speaking at a gala dinner in Eastern Cape organised by the Dr AB Xuma Foundation.
'No permanent position in the ANC'
In what appeared to be a thinly veiled attack on President Jacob Zuma, Sexwale warned that no one was guaranteed re-election to a party position, The Times reported.
"There is no permanent position in the ANC. you serve because the people say so," Sexwale warned, before calling for calm and urging the youth league not to confront the ANC about the suspensions of its leaders.
His warning was made as Malema and his executive plan how to reverse the "harsh" suspensions meted out to them by the ANC last week.
The ANC's national disciplinary committee announced last week that Malema had to vacate his position as youth league leader after an effective suspension of five years.
Sexwale reportedly called on the youth league to respect the decisions of the disciplinary committee, just as Xuma accepted his removal.
The league reportedly wants Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to take over from Zuma and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula to replace ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Source - news24
