ANCYL to 'expose third force'

ANCYL to 'expose third force'
2010-02-15 15:22


Nelspruit - The ANC Youth League in the Gert Sibande district in Mpumalanga say it is close to exposing the "third force" that allegedly sits behind service delivery protests in the province.

Regional chairperson of the league Themba Motlhankana said senior ANC leaders were fuelling the protests as part of a campaign to topple Premier David Mabuza.

"We are aware that these service delivery protests are instigated by senior leaders of the ANC who did not succeed at previous conferences.

"We will unmask these angels of darkness at an appropriate moment because we have their names. We are at a final stage of gathering evidence against them and will present this evidence to the relevant authorities in the ANC," said Motlhankana.

Proper channels of discussion

"We further wish to emphasise that our members who have an interest in the removal of the mayor of Dipaliseng Local Municipality, Piet Tsotetsi, and the demarcation of the municipality to Gauteng, should follow proper channels of discussing these issues within the structures of the ANC.

"We will not support any view that was not properly canvassed within our structures," he said.

Motlhankana said both the Young Communist League and the ANCYL distanced themselves from the vandalism that accompanied protests in Gert Sibande district.

"We, however, call upon the leadership of the ANC to take into consideration all the concerns raised by these respective communities and resolve the service delivery protests that have plunged our municipalities into chaos," Motlhankana said.

Who's behind protests?

Last week, provincial secretary of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) Raymond Makamo publicly accused ANC national treasurer Mathews Phosa of funding and fuelling the service delivery protests in Mpumalanga during a radio programme on SABC station Ligwalagala FM.

Phosa is suing Makamo for R1m for defamation and has demanded a public apology.

On Monday, Makamo denied that he had mentioned Phosa by name in the programme.

"I only spoke about a funder of the service delivery protests, who is also funding journalists to write negative stories about the province and Premier Mabuza. I suggest that they approach the SABC and ask for the tape of the interview," said Makamo.

The provincial chairperson of Sanco, Roy Ledwaba, said the organisation would comment after it has listened to the tape.

"We have requested the tape from the SABC and we will only comment on the matter on Thursday after we have meeting.

"It must also be noted that Makamo did consult the organisation before he went on the show, so reports that he did not consult us are not true," said Ledwaba.

Seven local municipalities in Mpumalanga were affected by service delivery protests last year, including Thaba Chweu in Mashishing (formerly Lydenburg), Mkhondo in Piet Retief, Pixley ka Seme in Volksrust, Emalahleni in Emalahleni (formerly Witbank), Mbombela in Nelspruit, Lekwa in Standerton and Dipaliseng in Balfour.

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