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Mbeki genocide accusation irresponsible: Lekota

Nov 23, 2009 7:24 PM | By Sapa

Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota has described calls for former president Thabo Mbeki and those who served under him to be charged with genocide as an irresponsible and dangerous distortion of the history of the country, the SABC reports.


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Lekota was responding to calls by the Young Communist League for Mbeki to be charged for his alleged mishandling of the HIV/Aids issue during his term of office.

He said for a crime of genocide to be committed there must be a deliberate policy or decision to kill people. He said there was no such decision either by the ANC or cabinet.

Lekota's statement comes just a week after youth leader Julius Malema said the ANC Youth League would not allow Mbeki to be charged with genocide.

"We must never surrender our leaders," said Malema at a gala dinner of the Pan African Youth Union at Emperor's Palace in Boksburg last Monday.

"Thabo Mbeki might have made mistakes but we can never charge him.

"We must not charge one of our own. If we allow that, the same thing would happen to [Zimbabwean President Robert] Mugabe, and the same would happen to [President Jacob] Zuma, and the next thing you know they will come for you," Malema said.

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Comments

Nov 23 2009 07:39:15 PM
bart
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They made a terrible mistake that has cost thousands of lives, but did they do it intentionally - I think that is what matters.
Nov 23 2009 08:08:14 PM
Mommacyndi
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LOL
Lekota and Malema on the same side of an argument - that must be painful to both of them
Nov 23 2009 09:52:31 PM
saltana
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We may not agree with Malema at most times, but this time he has a point, How could Mbeki be charged without his deputy, Zuma and the enitire cabinet? Malema is right in saying the Young communist league has no political programmes and they are a bunch of reactionary politicians. If there was a deleberate policy to commit genocides, then the entire ANC and its alliance partners are guilty of such genocides. The communist league should be able to draw a comparison between a whitch-hunt and charging someone with genocide.
Nov 23 2009 10:10:02 PM
it's complicated
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Looking back at how Malema's career in mainstream politics was lauched, it was mainly through the use of controversial language.

Is the YCL perhaps learning from the ANCYL how to launch themselves? Recent comments by YCL suggesting that the SACP should contest elections on their own, further make me suspect the genocide charges story to be a copycat of Malema's strategy.

Malema was wrong about lack of political programmes, the YCL's plan (political programme) is to copy the ANCYL!!!
Nov 23 2009 10:35:49 PM
Mzungu
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wir

haben

es

nicht

gewusst

?????
Nov 23 2009 10:36:55 PM
Animal Farm-1209
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Former State President Thabo Mbeki is an intellectual; Animal Farm-1209 will never forget him for his bravery in advancing intelligent arguments when our people were dying in the thousands upon thousands.

Animal Farm-1209 cannot say it for sure that our former state President won that intellectual tussle but what is clear is that our Brothers and Sisters never stopped going into their graves by the thousands upon thousands.

It should have been too painful and unbearable to those directly affected that people in too-high offices were engaged in intellectual contests when People were dying because they could not afford expensive medication.

Animal Farm-1209 is concerned about the suffering of our People from Disease, Poverty, Crime, Homelessness, Joblessness, Landlessness and other lessnesses.
Nov 24 2009 12:22:38 AM
v3
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An ANC insider told me that the decision to withhold anti-retrovirals from pregnant women was based on concern about the cost of raising all their orphans.
Sounds about right.
As for collective responsiblity, Mr Lekota, collective responsibility means that you are collectively responsible - unless you spoke out against the ANC's reckless policy.

You are defending Mugabe, who is definitely a genocidist and "783" Zuma, another court-dodger.
Nov 24 2009 04:07:08 AM
Vlad
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Lekotha knows that if Mbeki does get charged, his name will also be on that charge sheet!

Was he not the person that insisted ALL possible soldiers ENTERING the defence force had to undergo HIV tests? Even though he did not believe in it?
Me thinks that is about right.

You might be batting for a different team right now Terror, but you still part of the collective ANC from 1994-2008.
Nov 24 2009 06:40:05 AM
Chup
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Lekota will be Mbeki's boy until he dies. Indeed YCL is speaking masimba, it would be understood if they as communists wanted Mbeki administration to be probed why they sold Yskor to this British guy, why allowed ABSA to be partially owned by Britons, why sold vodacom to Britons. It would make sense because obviously Mbeki was selling the country out. The pride of SA built by Botha administration was destroyed in 6 years and given to the foreigners by Mbeki administration. The next thing, they talk colonialization and Nepad.
Nov 24 2009 06:54:37 AM
ThembaM
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COPE defending ANC members again!

What is wrong with these people?


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