Court request to bar ANCYL from Kathrada memorial postponed

An application to interdict the ANC Youth League from disrupting or attending the memorial service of struggle hero Ahmed Kathrada in Durban on Sunday was postponed so that lawyers for the league could file affidavits.

The urgent application came before Durban high court Judge Rashid Vahed on Friday afternoon.

Attorneys for the league and its chairperson requested more time to peruse the notice of motion and file answering affidavits.

• Civic body wants ANC Youth League barred from Durban's Kathrada memorialThe Active Citizens Network wants the ANC Youth League barred from coming with 200m of a memorial service being held for Ahmed Kathrada in Durban on Sunday. 

Vahed ordered that the application would be heard on Saturday morning‚ remarking that he was "alive to what was going on" and expected that the events in Pietermaritzburg on Friday in which members of the league clashed with other protestors‚ feature in their responding papers.

The motion was brought by the Durban-based Active Citizens Movement. It wanted the youth league to be barred from coming within 200m of the memorial venue. The citizens’ movement has arranged a memorial service to take place at Sastri College on Sunday afternoon to honour Kathrada.

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The order sought to prevent any disruption of the proceedings by: shouting slogans; hurling abuse; capsizing furniture; removing or threatening to remove speakers; assaulting‚ harassing and intimidating people attending the memorial; entering the college campus without permission; and being within 200 metres of the place.

Benedictor Sikhungo Madokwe‚ an executive member of the citizens’ movement‚ said in his affidavit: "The passing away of Mr Ahmed Kathrada and the cabinet reshuffle by President Zuma‚ in consequence whereof Mr Pravin Gordhan was relieved of his duties as Minister of Finance‚ bears an unfortunate coincidence. The perception mischievously created by amongst other quarters‚ Sabelo and the ANC Youth League‚ is that the memorial services for Ahmed Kathrada are being used as platforms to vilify certain people in the ANC and government‚ particularly President Zuma."

• Govt goes on the defensive over Kathrada memorial furoreThe Presidency has gone on the defensive in an attempt to set the record straight on the furore surrounding the memorial for ANC struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada. 

He said the coincidence has created a perception in society‚ which resulted in claims and counter claims that political agendas were at play.

Madokwe said Gordhan and others have been invited to speak at the memorial.

He said Sabelo and the youth league have questioned Gordhan's loyalty to the ANC and have threatened in the media to disrupt proceedings at the memorial service without any legal or factual basis.