ANCYL congress resolutions

In every four years, the African National Congress Youth League holds an elective congress in which the members adopt a new resolution on moving forward as an organisation and more importantly, elect new leaders. This year, the youth league held its 24th National Congress which marked the organisation’s 67th anniversary. It is at this conference that Malema, after being given second term into office, presented his report on the congress resolution. 
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We can never be led by people who interfere in the affairs of the ANC Youth League. We must be able to defend the autonomy of the youth league,” said Julius Malema, the president of the ANC Youth League. Malema received cheers from over 5000 youth league delegates present as he insulted the ANC for “undermining the role that the youth league plays in this country” and for “polishing and being diplomatic about the issue of land”. Malema was clear in his report that the land should be taken without compensation because “why would this South Africa belong to us while we have nothing to show that this South Africa belongs to us?” He pointed out that “it is the ANC that told us that the colonisers stole the land and today they are being diplomatic about it”. He made reference to Zimbabwe saying that he might not agree with the method used there, however the critical point was achieved: the expropriation of land without payment. 

On the issue of nationalisation, Malema made it clear that it is still the policy of the youth league. Malema repeatedly emphasised that “we should take the wealth from the white capitalists and give to the majority”. He made a very challenging point for the ANC stating the “ANC must not lead the people; [it] must lead with the people”. Malema made a subtle threat to the ANC saying that “we are asking for leadership and we want a government that implement these resolutions, we do not want to remove you”. 

The youth league leader calls for radical policy shifting which in his words “might need for the constitution of the country to be changed”. Malema said to the delegates that there must never be a meeting of the ANC where the youth league does not constitute over 50%; this is the league’s plan to “change this ANC”. A final resolution of the congress was free education. Malema later led a debate on ANC succession which the ANC had banned. 

The ANCYL also plans to use former ANC president Oliver Tambo’s birthday commemoration on October 27 to march to the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and the Union Buildings to demand quality jobs and their share of the economy. The ANC Youth League has also called for a government change in Botswana and said it would establish a command team to work towards united opposition against the "puppet regime" of President Ian Khama.

Subsequent to the congress, the youth leader was charged by the ANC for various violations of the party’s constitution. The ANC National Disciplinary Committee Chairman Derek Hanekom said in a statement on Friday that Malema and Floyd Shivambu, spokesperson of the youth league, were charged for bringing the ANC into disgrace through their utterances and statements on Botswana and on four counts of sowing division in the ruling party and showing disrespect. It’s further reported that they could be charged for jeopardising race relations by saying on the congress that white people have stolen land and “we” must take it back, bringing the ANC into disgrace.

Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu was quoted saying that the youth league is "spitting in the faces" of those who had sacrificed their lives for freedom. The Freedom Front Plus Youth leader commented on the issue saying that “the ANC has raised a monster which they cannot control. The bigger it gets the less they will be able to control it,” said Van Niekerk in a statement. He said the ANC Youth League’s radical views on the nationalisation of mines and banks and the proposed handling of the land issue was nothing but a “Robert Mugabe attitude”.

The ANC National Working Committee and the National Disciplinary Committee may instantly suspend the ANC membership of any member facing disciplinary charges and such suspension shall remain in force until the disciplinary proceedings have been finalised. If the NDC finds Malema guilty of the charges he is facing, the Committee can reprimand him, suspend him for a period or expel him from the organisation. In conclusion, the sad part for Zuma is that his future trajectory in the presidency will be revealed as the disciplinary processes against Malema unfolds.