Youth league backs down on Botswana

14 August 2011 - 05:34 By MOIPONE MALEFANE
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In an attempt to avoid being hauled before a disciplinary committee, the ANC Youth League has issued a public apology to the party and withdrew its pledge to help bring about a change of government in Botswana.

"We withdraw the statement and apologise because we note that the leadership of the ANC took serious exception to the statement and classified that statement as transgression of ANC constitution and policies," league spokesman Floyd Shivambu said in a statement yesterday.

The league's withdrawal of the controversial statement followed advice from senior leaders of the ANC who sympathise with league leader Julius Malema, according to party insiders .

By apologising, the league hopes to forestall ANC leaders who are planning to call for the league's suspension at Friday's ANC national executive committee meeting.

In the statement, Shivambu said that the league would hold internal discussions to look at what led it to make the statement with the intention of establishing common ground with the leadership of the ANC.

"The ANC Youth League has never, and will never, define itself outside the policy confines and directives of the ANC, and will, whenever expected, be available to listen to political and organisational guidance from the leadership," he said.

The league reminded the ANC that the decision on Botswana had been taken at its first NEC meeting following its elective conference.

"As the newly elected leadership of the ANC Youth League, we are looking forward to engaging with the leadership of the ANC to thoroughly comprehend the rules of engagement and how we take up issues, particularly on the public discourse."

The statement came after Malema was supposed to address a nationalisation seminar in Rustenburg, which had to be cancelled due to poor planning.

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