ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema have smoked the peace pipe and "buried" their differences, following a bitter public feud.
Speaking at the league's 64th birthday celebrations yesterday, Malema said their recent public spat, after Motlanthe criticised the league for its verbal attacks on judges, would "never repeat itself".
"The manner it presented itself was ugly. There is no reason whatsoever to fight the future because we constitute the future and we determine the future. We have total respect for him and we will always support him," Malema said.
The firebrand youth leader said to Motlanthe: "It doesn't mean that we don't love or support you if we disagree with you. We love you so much that we would lay our lives down for you."
Motlanthe has lambasted the league and Malema for their "kill for Zuma" utterances, as well as for their attacks on the judiciary.
In June, Motlanthe described Malema's comments as "reckless", saying: "We've had so much killing and violence and for someone at this point to talk about killing! It is one thing if you are prepared to die and lay your life down, but to kill? What do you mean?"
The youth league hit back at Motlanthe after he defended the judiciary in newspaper interviews following the league's attacks on it.
The league said Motlanthe's "affirming independence of the criminal justice system in the ANC president's [Zuma's] case is worrisome".
Motlanthe yesterday told Malema that the ANC's responsibility was "moulding you into better human beings, better citizens and better leaders of tomorrow".
But Malema also showed, despite having buried the hatchet, that he could still spit fire when he vowed to "eliminate" those opposed to Zuma's presidential ambitions.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.